New Hope
by Edwardfan1997
Summary: My first fic peeps! Edward is beaten up at home and at school he is beaten up.He has no reason to live. What happens when 3 new girls come into town? How does one of them change Edward's life? Full summary inside. All Human! Rated T for abuse. Plz R&R!
1. The Usual

_**Hi! Everyone this is my first fanfic ever so I hope you like it. By the way, what's that disclaimer thing that loads of people have in their story??? I'm not trying to push anyone to do this, but I understand how much reviewing means to some people, so if you're kind enough, please review!**_

_**Full Summary:**_

_**Edward Mason's dad beats him up. He can do absoloutely nothing about it. Emmet and Jasper beats him up and taunts him at school. What happens when three new sisters come into town, the Swans? Why does one of them catch his eye??? And most importantly of all, how does she change his life-maybe forever???**_

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**New Hope**

_1. The Usual_

_**Epov**_

"What you doing, pervert?" Jasper snickered while Emmet jabbed me in the ribs hard. I doubled over onto the ground groaning. Today was going to be the usual: Jasper and Emmet beating me up and taking the mick out of me behind the technology block at school.

"I …ow!..was.. Revising…ow!..for my…ow!..English test." I gasped at every kick and punch Emmet gave me. To be honest, I didn't understand why Emmet didn't just give up school now and train to be a bodybuilder or a boxer. Then he wouldn't be able to beat me up.

I was only 'revising' to try and forget about my life. "Oh, a little swot are we now?" I heard a voice behind me. I spun round and saw Tyler with his arm around Lauren. Behind them were the rest of Lauren's little 'gang'.

I glared at them and started turned back around when I heard Jessica yelling "Lauren! Lauren!" Whilst running up to her. "Just heard Mrs. Cope on the phone talking about these new kids coming tomorrow," This caught Lauren's attention and her eyes lit up and her whole 'gang' crowded around Jessica. I rolled my eyes at her. she was always looking for attention and gossip. I saw Tyler talking to Emmet and Jasper about football matches or something. And started running to the bushes. Probably skiving or something. At least they were going to ignore me.

I went to the library and sat in my chair and started reading. As usual. I loved reading. It was what I always did in my free time. I was now reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Harry Potter is my favourite series. I think Harry was very lucky. He suffered quite a lot but he had lots of friends to help him through. He had parents who loved him like mad and his mother died to save him. I have none of that and I never will. I first started reading Harry Potter when I was 9 years old, and I wished that I was going to go to Hogwarts, away from this life into a newer, fantastic life.

I was desperate for adventure. When I turned ten I wished and wished that someone would suddenly arrive at the door and say that I had a place at Hogwarts and I would be led away from my pit of hell. Of course I knew it wasn't going to happen, but that was just a little secret fantasy that I liked to think about, how happy I would be to be anywhere apart from this life. I know I had no reason to live but I kept thinking that there might be something worth living for in the future. I don't know why I thought that, but thinking that all my life led me to still alive at 17 years old, but nothing good so far.

_**Bpov**_

"Alice! I really don't want to go shopping!" I whined, I hated shopping. Alice had made a good excuse to Charlie to go shopping, saying that we needed new clothes for our new school in Forks. She and Rosalie particularly dragged me along, they were going to make a great big effort on me, because I was bullied at my last school so they figured that if I made an extra effort in my clothes, and didn't hide how 'pretty' I was (that was flattering. Me, pretty? Yeah right), I wouldn't be picked on or anything.

I was the only one out of us three girls who was actually blood related to Charlie and Renee, our parents. The other two were adopted. Rosalie was... difficult when she had just been adopted, she was kind of jealous of me. She thought she would never get any attention off Charlie and Renee, and they would just really care about me, as I was really her daughter. She soon understood that they would never do that, and that they thought of her as a real daughter and stopped being nasty to me and we became best friends.

Me and Alice had no problem becoming friends, and we had been best friends ever since(with Rosalie). She was nineteen, even though she was shorter than my five foot four. Rosalie was eighteen, and devastatingly beautiful. I thought it was kind of wierd how she used to be jealous of me, there's nothing I'm worth being jealous of.

I was dreading going to Forks, it was the rainiest place on the planet. And too green. Charlie had suddenly decided to move there for some reason, away from the hot sun in Phoenix. I loved the sun, although I had no sun tan, but was really pale. It was so obvious I'd never fit in at the school. I should be good at sports, but instead I'm the clumsiest person on Earth. I can't walk over flat ground without finding something to trip over even if it's air.

The school's the real problem though. It is so claustrophobic, only a total of three hundred and fifty-seven-now three hundred and sixty students. In my old school, there were seven hundred students in my _year._

Charlie had got a job to be the Police Chief Swan. Charlie had been inflating his chest in pride when he told us this.

"Bella! Stop being so difficult! This might the last time we get to shop in a reasonably sized mall, you know. One shopping trip won't hurt, will it?" Alice was getting fed up at my whining. But that was where she was wrong. Shopping trips do hurt. They hurt your feet and legs. A lot.

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_**I know it isn't that good but please be gentle on me at least. I know it doesn't make sense but all will be revealed in the next chappie-if you want one. PLZ tell me if you want the next chappie or not. Shall I give up on this and delete it???**_


	2. What Happens At 'Home'

_**Hi! Everyone! You have no idea how excited I was when I got my first review by **__**I Heart La Roux**__**! I was hysterical!!! I have decided that the first person to review every chappie will get a sneak preview of the next chappie! (I won't give away too much) And I'll dedicate my next chappie to them!!!**_

_**I was so pleased that lots of people liked my first chappie! I didn't really expect anyone to like it!!!**_

_**In the last chappie I didn't tell you what happens to Edward at home- so here goes!!!**_**2. What Happens At 'Home'**

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**Epov**

I walked as slowly as I could up to the front door, trying to hold off what was waiting for me at home as long as possible. I drew to halt in front of the door, and wondered if I could make it to the woods before anyone saw me. I saw Elizabeth, my mum from her bedroom. She opened the window. "Don't even _think _about running off!" She hissed so quietly I could just hear her. When I ran away I always went back 'home' in the end. My 'parents' stopped running after me when I ran away. I ran faster than them. I ran so fast that I had been offered a place in the Cross Country Team at school, but Anthony, my so called dad hadn't let me join it in fear of me telling anyone or anyone seeing what happens at home.

I stepped through the front door, getting ready for what was waiting for me inside. "Oh, Eddie..." I hated that nickname, and Elizabeth knew that. She didn't dare lay a finger on me without Anthony beating me up at the same time. After all, I could hit her back as I was stronger than her. But not stronger than Anthony. I hated the name Anthony. It was my middle name. Elizabeth had swapped his first name and second name round to name me. So I was Edward Anthony Mason. And _he _was Anthony Edward Mason. I could hear his drunk snores coming off the sofa in the living room.

Good. That gave me time to put my things down in my bedroom. And I was going to try and put him in a good mood before the beatings began. Such as cooking a meal he liked for tea. I tiptoed silently up the stairs, not wanting to wake him up. "Anthony's in a bad mood today" Elizabeth was acting so smug. I wanted to slap that smirk off her face. But I couldn't; I'd get worse off Anthony. If he was in a bad mood I'd have to work extra hard today.

I got the pizza out of the oven, checking that there were no burns on it, or I'd get into trouble.

_5 minutes later_

I saw him slowly turning his head towards me. I immediately tensed up and gritted my teeth to get ready for the pain. "Edward, I'm going to warn you of something before I _start_. There is going to be a new police chief- Police Chief Swan. I'll still be Assistant Chief Mason so his family will be coming to our house all the time. When they do come I want you on your best behaviour, do you hear me?" He kicked me hard in the stomach.

I fell against the wall and clutched my stomach in pain. He was just about to aim another kick at me."'Tony?" Elizabeth used her nickname for him. I could hear her coming downstairs.

"Whats up?" _He _was a bit irritated with her for interrupting his _entertainment._

_"_How many kids does that Swan man have? They're going to go to his school." She pointed at me, and I could tell what they were both thinking.

"Three kids, and they're all girls." He turned back to me and grabbed the cuff of my shirt and pressed me against the wall. He was spitting on my face "And _you_ better not get involved with them and tell them about us. Or else you'll get what that _weed _got all those years ago." I flinched at that last sentence; I hated it when he mentioned that person. _That had been so special to me. The closest person I had been to. _I flinched at all those good memories we had together. I began shaking with anger, hating my father more than ever, more than I thought possible.

He was strangling me now, so I just managed a weak "Yes". I could see Elizabeth grinning evilly, showing me her nails. Oh. She was ready. She had cut the sides of her nails diagonally upwards so the very top of the nails were really pointy, like a knife.

He let go of me and dropped me on the floor then started kicking me hard in the ribs, making my groan with pain. I tried not to make a noise, to show him I wasn't a coward.

I vaguely heard his fist connect with someones body above the pounding of blood in my ears. I saw him get tired, and Elizabeth come up to start scratching me while he had a break. She stood over me for a moment, wondering how to decorate my body with blood.

Then she grabbed my arm and made a very deep scratch from the inside of my elbow to my wrist. I saw the rich red colour coming out of my arm.

By the time both of them had finished with me I was about to black out, using all my strength to crawl up the stairs. I used to black out when they were finished with me but I wanted to look tough so maybe _it_ wouldn't be as bad.

The last thing I saw before collapsing into my room, was Elizabeth filing her nails back to a normal shape while smiling smugly at me over her hands.

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_**I hope you think that was good!!! I have a question for everyone! It's a vote!!!**_

_**1. I give up on this story and delete it**_

_**2. Do you want this story to be all human???**_

_**3. Or do you want vamps to come into the story, making the story very, very long and perhaps spoiling it maybe???**_

_**I want you to decide, because I have an idea for what to do for no.3, but I'm not sure, as this might spoil it. In the end, I might choose it myself, ignoring the votes. So, vote!!!**_


	3. First Sight

_**Hi! Everyone!!! Too late now if you want to vote; yesterday was the deadline!!!**_

_**These are the results of the votes:**_

_**#1) (surprisingly) 0 votes**_

_**#2) 60%votes**_

_**#3) 40% votes**_

_**So all human it is!!! To be honest, I was gonna decide to do that. Putting vamps in would either make it too coincidental or too long and perhaps a very boring sequel with no meaning.**_

_**With special thanks to I Heart La Roux, for being the first reviewer for the first two chappies of my story, being very encouraging and simply for being a good best friend(not an online friend, a 'real' one).**_

_**Also thanks to -CrA-zAy ChIcKiE-for being the second to review the second chapter as I Heart La Roux has been the first to review two chappies already. No offence wherever you are!!!(Well I have a rough idea where you are **__**I Heart La Roux**__**!!!)**_

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**3. First Sight**

**Bpov**

I drove my Mercedes up to the reception with Alice and Rosalie behind me bickering about when to go shopping, tonight or Saturday.

"We should go on Saturday so we can ask people before then whether the shops in Port Angeles are any good or not." That was Rosalie.

"We can ask _today!"_

_"_We need time to unpack our stuff and sort out our clothes!" It had been going on like that for a while now. I parked outside the secretary's office.

"You have got a point actually."

"You've finally seen my point!!!"

"But I still want to go shopping tonight!"

"No!!! I'm older than you-the oldest out of all three of us so _I _decide!"

"You're only older than me by HALF a year!"

"So? I'm still older."

I was getting really sick of listening to this stupid argument. "HOW ABOUT THE _YOUNGEST_ CHOOSES FOR ONCE??? I CHOOSE THAT YOU SHOULD GO SHOPPING ON SATURDAY!!!" I was shouting so loud that I saw a teacher peeking out of her window at us. My hand flew to my mouth; this was the loudest I'd ever shouted.

Alice and Rosalie were frozen in their seats staring at me in amazement; who'd think that such a shy girl like me could shout that loud?

Rosalie was first to recover, noticing that I'd taken her 'side'. I hadn't really; I just wanted to put the shopping trip off as long as possible.

"See? Saturday's the best day we can go shopping."

"B-but I want to go shopping." Alice pulled an adorable face I just couldn't resist. "Please. If you _really _love me."

"Rosalie?" I didn't want to be the one having to answer.

"No, and that's final." For once I was delighted that she was so stubborn. Seriously adorable faces didn't usually affect her.

"Come on, we're going to be late for first period if we don't get out of this car NOW!" I was completely fed up.

It was much warmer inside, with lots of plants on the windowsills. Urgh. As if it wasn't green enough in this place already. We walked over to the desk.

"Erm...'scuse me? We're the new kids. I'm Alice, this is Rosalie and that is Bella."

"Oh that's right. I'm Mrs. Cope and these are your timetables."

Mrs. Cope looked at us with curiosity; trying to figure out similarities between us that would prove we were actually sisters.

Rosalie glared at her and she quickly snapped her head away. "We'll go now, thank you." Her voice was cold and icy, and I glanced at her, wondering what was wrong.

After we parked our car in the student car park, people stared at us with curiosity burning in their eyes while we walked to our first lesson. I looked down and blushed while Rosalie and Alice just glared at them, making them turn their head away in embarrassment of being caught staring.

I had Spanish for first period and headed over to that department. I dropped my book and went to pick it up. As I picked it up crashed into someone. He was a boy with untidy bronze coloured hair. His skin was pale and he had beautiful emerald green eyes that were dull, with maybe sadness?

"S-sorry. Are you alright?" I stuttered out.

"Yeah. You?" He had a beautiful melodic sad voice. I could only just nod. He flashed a quick crooked smile that set my heart beating rapidly. He stepped around me and walked away.

I made my way to Spanish in a daze. As I went into class, I shyly made my way up to the teacher. She signed my slip and made me sit at the back without introducing me. Yay. That saved the awkwardness.

After I got out of class I saw this guy with spiky blond hair make his way over to me. "Hey, you're Isabella Swan, right? I'm Mike."

I was surprised by his tone of voice; I expected a nasty sneer in there somewhere, but I couldn't detect any. "No, it's Bella."

"What've you got next?" He looked too enthusiastic.

I looked down at my timetable. "Erm, Math," I was secretly glad. Math was my best subject; in my first year at high school I got the best mark out of the whole year group.

"Me too!" What a coincidence in a school this small. "Do you want me to walk with you?"

"If you want." He beamed.

He chatted happily while we walked to the Math department. I pretended to listen to him, nodding just made him beam even more. As we entered the classroom I froze. There he was, that boy with the bronze-coloured hair. He flashed a small smile at me first, but that quickly turned into a glare.

"Bella? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just thinking." I looked for a place to sit, and the only spare seat was next to _him_.

"You're gonna have to sit next to that _Mason _kid." Mike was spitting the word Mason out as if it was a piece of muck. He was glaring daggers at him for some reason. Just then, the teacher came in so Mike had to sit down. At least I was free of him for now. When the teacher finished signing my slip, she said, "You're sitting next to Edward," and pointed at the spare seat. She set us some work to do, and I finished within 5 minutes. I looked up to find that Edward had finished as well.

"Er... Hi, you must be Edward. I'm Bella." I bit my lip, not knowing what to say next.

"Hi. Who are your sisters?"

"Alice and Rosalie. Alice is the short one with spiky black hair, and Rosalie is the blond one. They're both in the year above me."

"Are they twins? They don't look alike." He sounded very interested.

"No. They're adopted."

"Oh. Tell me about yourself. Are you adopted as well?"

"No. I'm blood related to Charlie and Renee. They're my real parents"

"What's your best subject?" I was glad on the subject change; I didn't like talking about my sisters being adopted.

"Math. I'm quite good at it. Doesn't mean I'm a swot or anything though," I said hurriedly.

"No, I don't think you're a swot." He gazed at the ceiling with his hand under his chin, and seemed to be recalling a memory. "What are your hobbies?"

"Reading. It's like the only thing I can never get sick of." I smiled at this.

"Me too! I love reading." He flashed a beautiful crooked smile but then looked at me with curiosity.

He made it sound like reading was the best thing ever. I was curious, so I asked him why. "Why do you love reading so much?"

"I- I think it's because I can forget about this life and lose myself into another one." He seemed to be struggling for words.

Just before he could say another thing the bell went, and it was time for break. Mike walked over and started chatting to me again. But before that, he hissed something to Edward too quietly for me to hear.

**Lunch**

Next lesson was History. After the lesson this girl who introduced herself as Jessica walked with me to lunch, but I told her I had promised my sisters to sit with them. She didn't seem to show any resentment towards me, but I expected her to start picking on me next time she saw me or something.

As I made my way over to Rosalie I noticed that she was standing with a very big and muscular boy-if you can even call him a boy. And Alice was sitting at the table with this other boy-tall with honey blond were gazing into each other's eyes. _Great, now I'm the odd one out again!_ For some reason Edward crept back into my mind. _What is wrong with me?_

"Hi Alice, Hi Rosalie!" I sat down on the table.

"Hi! Have you had a good day so far? No _trouble???_" Alice said the last few words quietly.

"Not really any trouble"

"Good! Told you!!!"

"Whatever, Alice." She beamed happily at me, pleased that my day had gone without incident.

"This is Jasper and that is Emmet." Jasper was the honey blond one and Emmet was the muscular one. "Did you meet anyone?"

"Yeah. A guy called Mike who's starting to get on my nerves and this other guy called Edward who's alright."

Alice opened her mouth to say something else but was cut off by Jasper saying "Edward, as in Edward Mason?" He said Edward's name with a nasty sneer on his face.

"Er...Yeah."

"Keep away from him. You don't want to be friends with someone like him." Jasper had a hateful look on his face as he said this.

"For your own safety." Emmet was talking now.

"Alice?" I wasn't sure what to think now.

She shrugged. "They know about this school more than us so they'll obviously know which people to avoid and stuff."

I barely noticed the rest of the day pass by.

**After School**

After I got home Charlie was already home early. "I got a couple of hours off as it's my first day."

"How was school girls?" Renee came downstairs.

"It was great Mom!" Rosalie was unusually enthusiastic. She rarely called Renee, Mom as well.

"Yeah, you met _someone_, didn't you?" I teased. "And Alice!"

"Who did you meet?" Renee was very curious due to my tone of voice.

"I met this sweet guy called Jasper" Alice beamed happily and twittered on about him.

"Rosalie, do you want to tell everyone about who you met?" I was fully teasing her now, and wasn't afraid when she glared at me; she was too happy to take the teasing seriously. "Yeah, I met this cute guy called Emmet," She said shyly.

I headed upstairs as Renee pressed Rosalie with questions. Suddenly she stopped. "Did you meet anyone Bella?"

"I met this person called Mike, he's nice but really annoying and I met a girl called Jessica who's quite chatty. I talked to this other guy called Edward Masen, he's alright."

"Masen? His father's the Assistant Police Chief. He's a very nice man, but there's something strange about him..." Charlie had a strange expression on his face as he said that last part. "Oh, that reminds me that we've been invited for dinner at their house. So I suggest you go and get ready for it."

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_**So everyone! What did you think of this? It was longer than I expected so the next chappie is in Edward's pov!!! Tell me if you thought it carried on too much!!! I hope you think it's good!!! And thank you again to I Heart La Roux and -CrA-zAy ChIcKiE- again!!! Thx for reviewing!!!**_


	4. Hate At First Sight

_**Hi! Everyone!!! Thanks for reviewing!!! I'm so happy!!!!!!! But the no. of reviews could be improved.**_

_**I have: 30 Reviews**_

_**340 Hits**_

_**11 Favourites**_

_**13 Alerts**_

_**2 Communities**_

_**160 Visitors!!!**_

_**Thx everyone!!! This chappie's in Edward's pov**_

_**With thanks to **__**I Heart La Roux**__** and **__**-CrA-zAy ChIcKiE-**__** and **__**twilightfan-854**__**for being the first to review the last chappie!!!**_

_**I Heart La Roux**__** was first(again for the third time) **__**-CrA-zAy ChIcKiE-**__** was second(again for the second time) and **__**twilightfan-854 **__**was the third one.**_

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**4. Hate At First Sight**

**Epov**

I woke up early and cleaned the blood off me from last night. My clothes were drenched in blood. I chucked them away and wore a clean pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt then pulled a sweater over it, so no one would be able to see the gashes up and down my arms.

I left the house before my parents woke up.

**At School**

I headed towards first lesson, thinking about last night. It had been the first time my 'mother' had used her nails. She must've realised that when she hit me or kicked me, it didn't hurt that much. Unless she was wearing pointy heels.

I suddenly crashed into someone. I looked down to see an unfamiliar girl with brown wavy hair and wide chocolate brown eyes. This must be one of the new girls Jessica and Anthony were talking about.

"S-sorry, are you alright?" Her voice was scared, like she expected something bad to happen to her.

"Yeah. you?" I couldn't stop my sadness escaping my voice as I never usually tried to hide it. She looked curiously at me then nodded. I flashed her a quick smile, then stepped round her and walked away. I wondered why she would seem so scared. Then it hit me. How stupid was I not to realise that. It was me. Of course it was me. Why wouldn't it be me? Everyone always tried to avoid me unless they wanted to beat me up. When I first came here Jessica tried to ask me out but the answer was always no. Some boys got jealous and began to beat me up. Soon everyone got sick of me and just taunted me as the state of my clothes worsened. After that, Emmet and Jasper, who had been ignoring me before, started beating me up as well.

As I headed to maths after English Literature, I decided that I hated the girl. She had seemed to want to avoid me like everyone else did. When I sat down I began doodling something random on the back of my book. I heard Mike babbling enthusiastically. I looked up and saw _her_. I flashed her a quick smile at first, but that changed quickly into a glare as I remembered earlier on.

She looked surprised and worried at the same time, and began biting her bottom lip. For some reason, I regretted it immeadiately. Mike saw her glancing at me and muttered something angrily to her. He sat down on his seat as the teacher came in. I noticed that she would have to sit next to me as the seat next to me was the only spare one.

After the teacher signed her slip she sad,"You'll have to sit next to Edward over there," As she gestured to the seat next to me.

After she sat down the teacher began giving worksheets out. I finished mine quite quickly, then rested my chin on my hand while looking out the window.

"Er... Hi, you must be Edward. I'm Bella." I looked up, surprised she was even attempting to make conversation with me. She looked down and bit her lip. This was my chance to get to know her.

"Hi. Who are your sisters?" I hoped this wasn't too direct.

"Alice and Rosalie. Alice is the short one with spiky black hair, and Rosalie is the blond one. They're both in the year above me." I was surprised. They were totally unalike.

"Are they twins? They don't look alike." This sounded quite interesting.

"No. They're adopted." She seemed uncomfortable talking about her adopted sisters.

"Oh. Tell me about yourself. Are you adopted as well?"

"No. I'm blood related to Charlie and Renee. They're my real parents"

"What's your best subject?"

"Math. I'm quite good at it. Doesn't mean I'm a swot or anything though," she said hurriedly.

"No, I don't think you're a swot." I gazed at the ceiling. "What are your hobbies?"

"Reading. It's like the only thing I can never get sick of." Wow. She has something in common with me.

"Me too! I love reading." I flashed a rare, small smile.

"Why do you love reading so much?" It was like a drug to me. It didn't stop my problems, but it lessened the pain. Like morphine.

"I- I think it's because I can forget about this life and lose myself into another one." I tried to explain it in a way where I wouldn't be lying but I wouldn't give anything away.

The bell went and Mike quickly ran over to Bella and started chatting to her again. But before that, he hissed at me too quietly for Bella to hear. "Leave her alone, Masen. She's mine. You dare touch her and you're in trouble"

I thought about how she wasn't nasty to me or anything unlike everyone else. Maybe it was simply because she hadn't heard any of the rumours about me yet. She would probably start picking on me once she did.

**Lunch**

I looked through the window and saw Bella walking into the canteen with Jessica next to her. I was wrong about liking her. She was friends with a crowd I didn't like. She was like them. Jessica seemed to ask her a question, and Bella shook her head while saying something. Jessica left her side and Bella walked over to her sisters and I recognised which was which by what Bella told me.

Suddenly I froze. I saw her make her way to her sisters but they were with Emmet and Jasper. The one that was Alice was holding hands with Jasper and the blonde one, Rosalie was sitting next to Emmet. Now I had every reason to hate Bella. _I hate Bella, I hate Bella, I hate Bella_. But there was something else telling me I didn't hate her.

I walked away angrily. I suddenly got grabbed by someone. Mike tried to lift me up by my collar underneath my sweater but failed. "What were you doing talking to Bella this morning?"

"'Cos I wanted to." I wasn't scared of him; I was stronger.

"You don't understand _Masen._ You aren't _important_ enough to talk to anyone." He spat at me as I inwardly rolled my eyes. I decided not to do anything too rash because he might get Emmet to do something to me.

"Actually, I think I have as much right as you to talk to someone."

"Wanna bet?" He came rushing at me, fist in the air. I ducked, and his fist crashed into the wall. His face twisted in pain. He flew at me with his other fist but I stepped to the left and punched him in the stomach. His other hand went into the wall as well. He fell to the ground and groaned in pain as he put his hands under his armpits.

I walked up to him and said, "I bet I know what you're gonna do now. You'll go crying to Emmet and Jasper and tell them to beat me up for you. Some people are such a baby aren't they?" I can't believe I had the guts to say this; I was a coward.

After I walked away I got no trouble for the rest of lunch, which was surprising. I walked to the library as usual.

**After School In The Car Park**

The rest of school went without trouble. As I walked through the car park, I noticed that Bella walking to what probably was her car with her sisters. It was a bright yellow Mercedes guardian. They must have had a lot of money. People who had looks tended to have money. Did I just say looks? What is wrong with me?

**At Home**

I prepared for what was inside then stepped into the house. "Edward!" I went to where Anthony's voice was coming from. "The Swans are coming tonight, I want you to make dinner and wear your best clothes. Do you hear me?" With that he kicked me in the stomach. I doubled over in pain. "Yes, dad." I said weakly.

I finished cooking the spaghetti bolognese and put the plates out. After that I went to get changed but not before Anthony called for me.

"I want you to get changed and behave, do you hear me?" He punched me on the shoulder; I clutched it in pain. "And smile as well. I don't want them thinking that you're miserable. Don't talk unless someone asks you to either." He punched me a few more times then walked away. I hobbled up the stairs and towards my room.

I heard the doorbell ring and qiuckly slipped my tan sweater over my head. I heard Elizabeth greeting them in a fake, kind voice. I went downstairs, making sure all my skin was covered apart from my head, of course.

I stood behind my 'parents' as they greeted them. We led them into the dining room and sat down. I saw Bella and her sisters look around the room. "Thank you for inviting us over, it was very kind of you." The woman- Renee I presume, was the first to speak.

"Well then, shall we eat?" Anthony said in an akward voice after Elizabeth put the food out.

Everyone immeadiately obeyed and started eating. I tried to eat slowly, I didn't want them to think Anthony starved me (which he did).

"So, how long have you been here, Anthony?" Charlie attempted to make conversation.

"For nineteen years now." The four adults began talking to each other.

I ate absently when suddenly I was addressed. "Edward, Bella said she met you today." Renee was talking to me. I looked over to where she was sitting and saw her blush and look down.

"Erm.. Yeah. She was talking to me." I felt Anthony stiffen next to me. I was careful to say that _she_ was talking to me, and it wasn't_ me_ that had started talking to her.

"So, tell us about yourself then Edward," Renee said. I saw everyone looking at me.

"Well, I'm seventeen," I started, but wasn't sure what to say next.

"That's the same age as Bella!" She seemed eager to compare me to Bella. "I hope you and Bella will get along easily!" I just nodded at that.

"This food is awesome!" Charlie again. "Who made this?"

"Edward did." I was surprised Elizabeth had even decided to tell the truth.

"Yeah, he's great at cooking isn't he?" Anthony said in a mocking tone of voice. I looked down and nodded slightly.

"Our Bella is as well. She loves cooking." Bella glared at Renee before looking down and blushing. Renee pretended not to see. I wish I could do that without being beaten up afterwards.

The rest of dinner carried on like that.

"Erm, can I go to the toilet?" Said a shy, quiet voice. I looked up to see Bella blushing really hard.

"Of course you can. Edward will show you where it is." Elizabeth put on a fake, motherly voice.

I got up and headed out of the dining room. "So, did you really cook the food? It was very nice."

"Yeah, I suppose so." I forgot to hide my sadness out of my voice and quickly shut up, but it was too late. Bella looked up at me with a curious expression on her face. After that she spoke no more. "Here it is." I pointed to the door.

"Thanks." I nodded in response.

**After The Swans Leave**

"Edward!" I nervously walked towards where Anthony's angry voice was coming from.

"I told you not to make friends with anyone! And still you don't listen to me." He got up and walked over to me.

"I-I didn't! Sh-she just talked to me!" He was really angry now, and that was very bad.

"Who cares! You still talked to her!" He held me by the neck against the wall, making it hard for me to breathe. "I'm going to teach a lesson that will stop you from doing this again."

He punched me in the stomach, so hard I ended vomiting some blood out as I fell on the floor. Soon everything started spinning around. I closed my eyes and welcomed the dreamless unconciousness.

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_**Hope you liked it everyone!!! This is my longest chappie so far!!! I wasn't able to update in the past few days cos my dad's been dragging me out of the house saying it's a nice day outside (yeah right, you get loads of nice days in England *sarcastic*). But I won't be able to update for another week, because I'm going to a camp called Casterton 2 with my friends tomorrow.**_

_**I would like at LEAST **__**60**__** reviews for the next chappie, as there are 159 visitors but only 30 reviews, which I'm quite disappointed about. You have a week of time!!! At the end of this story im going to dedicate the **__**whole story**__** to the person that inspired me for this story, and I might add a few others that are really nice to me and my story...**_

_**SO. REVIEW!!!!**_


	5. Eyes

_**Hi!!!! I had a great time at camp!!!! If you were there I'm sorry you had to endure my screams and madness. Such as everytime I found my glasses after I lost them I ran up and down the dorm corridors screaming "I FOUND MY GLASSES!!! I FOUND MY GLASSES!!!"**_

_**Or screaming at everyone who didn't like Twilight...such as ...I mostly remember shouting at him for hating Twilight(I had Obsessed Cullen Disorder at that time) but I'm sure most of you understand, he hadn't even read it.**_

_**By the way that author's note I posted was just a warning that I don't like these kind of reviews, not for people to review and insult that person back. I'm not that angry with her anymore, as I would feel slightly irritated if someone hadn't updated in ages, but I think everyone should read the notes that I put at the start and end of the chapters starts just so they don't make any more mistakes in the future.**_

_**Happy reading!!!**_

_**This chapter is dedicated to **__**lozzy035**__** for being the first to review chapter 4.**_

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**5. Eyes**

**Bpov**

After I got home, all I could think about was his eyes. They were distant and sad, and terror pierced through his eyes every time his father spoke. His life didn't seem…like a normal, boring life that I had.

I was quiet all evening and fell asleep dreaming of those fiery, emerald eyes.

After a long morning: Alice forcing me into twenty different outfits and talking nonstop about Emmet and Jasper. I wasn't really listening; I was desperate to see Edward, I wanted to find out more about him, his life seemed interesting, no, maybe… dangerous.

Right now, I wasn't desperate to get away from this place, and that was really, really, stupid. Any sane person would be desperate to get away from this place. My sisters had an excuse. Emmet and Jasper.

After I got to school, I looked around for him and was disappointed to find that he hadn't arrived at school yet. Or at least wasn't anywhere near my line of sight anyway. Mike came up to me. He is seriously like a loyal dog, following me round and almost never leaving my side. It was starting to get on my nerves. I noticed his hands were bandaged up and asked him why. "There was a bit of a disagreement," he responded after a pause with a cold, hard voice, while gritting his teeth and avoiding my gaze, staring hard at the pavement. After the worst subject ever, Geography, _**(AN: sorry to all Geography lovers; but it's my teacher that is to blame. All she does all lesson is talk about trees, then suddenly points at you and says, "Do you love trees?" really seriously and you say "Well, miss, I don't **_**love**_** them" and then she gets angry and says something like "After school detention! Tonight!")**_ This guy with greasy hair and skin problems came up to me. "Hey! You're Isabella, right?" He had a really cheesy grin on his face for some reason.

"No, it's Bella." I hated it when I was called Isabella.

"Cool. I'm Eric." His grin was getting wider and wider as he spoke. In fact, I wondered how he was still able to talk with his grin completely stretched across the face. "Can I walk you to your next class?"

Oh. No. "Er, if you want," why couldn't I find a nice way to say no? Just then, making it worse, Mike decided to come over to walk with me too. Then froze for a moment when he saw Eric then continued walking while glaring at him. We walked silently and awkwardly to class.

After class, Jessica chatted to me for the first few minutes of break, then I told her I wanted to find my sisters.

When I found them they were with Emmet and Jasper. Alice was bouncing up and down with a happy smile on her face while Rosalie was smiling and her cheeks were slightly flushed. I could already guess what the excitement was for.

It was strange how we weren't even related but I knew them so well I could almost read their minds. Alice was first to speak "Jasper is my boyfriend," Yup, right guess.

"And Emmet is my boyfriend!" Rosalie finished, pink with excitement. Alice squealed and bounced up and down in Jasper's arms. I made my voice bright with enthusiasm. They didn't notice the slightly dull note in my voice. Except Rosalie. Which was queer. **_(AN: LOL!!!)_**

"Are you alright, Bella?" She asked in a concerned voice.

"Yeah, of course I'm alright!" I was surprised. She didn't normally notice these kind of things. Emmet was perhaps the reason.

She seemed to think that I was upset because she kept spending time with Emmet and not me. See, I knew her so well. But that wasn't the problem, obviously. I didn't mind at all. Plus she was happy with him.

"Well Emmet and Jasper aren't going to be with us at lunchtime. They have to do something else." Emmet winked at her while she said this.

"Er... Great?" I was unsure about how to respond. Soon after that I left them to find the library. I found it eventually but the bell went. I managed to escape from Mike and his puppy dog behaviour while going to Maths, but found that he was already in the classroom glaring at..._him_.

I smiled shyly at Edward then went to sit down in my seat next to him. He didn't seem to acknowledge me. "Erm, hi, Edward." He just nodded at me coldly before turning his head back around. I wondered what was wrong. After the teacher came in he sent us to the IT rooms to do online maths. We were put in pairs and obviously I was put with Edward.

After Edward had logged on and put us onto the right website, he turned towards me and spoke for the first time today. "Ladies first?" I nodded, unable to speak as I looked into his beautiful, emerald green eyes. I managed to snap out of my trance and turned towards the computer. I managed the first question immeadiately. I let Edward check to see if he thought my answer was right or not.

He nodded and typed the answer in. Next he did it first, and he was right. The rest of the questions were more or less completed like that. We were finished before anyone else was even close. Mr. Banner came over to check our progress. He looked with disaproval at Edwrd and said, "Don't you think Isabella should have had a chance to try the questions herself?"

"Bella," he automatically corrected, "Worked out most of the questions on her own."

Mr. Banner looked at me. "Were you on an advanced class in your last school?"

"Yeah" I replied sheepishly.

"Then it's good you two are partners." He went to the next table, mumbling something as he went. _**(AN: Remind you of anything?!)**_

We sat silently untill Edward broke the silence. "So, I saw your sisters with Emmet and Jasper today."

"You know them?" They seemed to 'know' him as well but didn't seem to like him. At all.

"Very vaguely." He paused for a moment before speaking again. " You see them around school and when you're new here people tell you about other people and so on." A hard edge crept into his voice at the end.

"So, what about them?" I was curious to know why he even brought this topic up in the first place.

"Nothing really. Just that it might be gossip all around school that your sisters and Emmet and Jasper are together. Emmet and Jasper don't date anyone. Then your sisters start dating them on their second day of school." That didn't sound right. It was a pathetic excuse for suddenly asking about Emmet and Jasper.

"I don't really care. It's to do with my sisters, not me, apart from the fact that we're sisters." I wondered what he had had in mind when he first talked about them.

**Lunch**

My sisters hadn't arrived yet so I went to Jessica's table for a while and met a nice girl called Angela. When my sisters arrived I quietly invited her to join me at my sister's table. She eagerly agreed. We all chatted together for a while before Angela had to go to a club.

"I'm bored." Alice's arms were slumped on the table with her head resting on them. Suddenly she jumped up. "I know, lets go and find Jazzy!!!" Now Jasper had a nickname. I inwardly rolled my eyes.

She dragged Rosalie up and together we went in search for them around the school. As we passed the English department we heard a thumping noise behind the building and someone's voice. Alice dragged me and Rosalie around the building to see what was going on. We all gasped in horror at the same time.

Emmet was kicking... _him!!!_ Just to make the situation worse, Jasper was sneering at the getting beaten up body on the floor and calling rude names at him. They both froze when they saw us. Edward turned his head towards me and I saw the same, terrified eyes I saw last night as I walked through his front door.

Rosalie was the first to recover and ran over and slapped Emmet so hard it left a huge red mark across his cheek. I walked over to Edward's bruised body on the floor, not believing what had happened and helped him sit back up.

Alice was still standing there, staring at Jasper while he pleaded her to forgive him with his eyes. I ran over to her when she started shaking and hugged her. She collapsed into my arms, shaking and sobbing. Rosalie's face was red with fury as she walked over to Edward and started trying to help him. Jasper stared at Alice's sobbing body with a broken look in his eyes. Emmet just stared at the floor, ashamed. I realised we hadn't spoken a single word since we arrived here.

"Emmet, Jasper, I suggest you go away from here while we clean Edward up." I was surprised at myself; I never used such an authorative voice.

Alice, and Rosalie starteed trying to get Edward to stand up.

"No, I'm alright." But his weak, hoarse, voice told us differently. "I can get up on my own."

We stepped back, giving him space. "Do you want to report this?" Rosalie asked him gently.

"No!" It wasn't Edward who answered her. It was Alice. Rose stared at her in amazement; surely she wouldn't forgive Jasper so quickly? But she hadn't, she was still shaking with sobs.

"I'm sorry, Alice, but it's Edward's choice." Rosalie made sure her voice was gentle as you don't want to get on the wrong side of Alice when she's upset or angry.

"Sorry, I know." Alice whispered back. We turned back to face Edward.

"No." What? But those guys totally beat him up!

It was my turn to speak this time. "Are you-" He interrupted me.

"-Yes, I'm sure. My answer is no." He had such a determined note in his voice, we didn't argue anymore.

While we cleaned him up in a deserted classroom sink, when Alice and Rosalie were on the othe side of the classroom finding some clothes to put cold water on his bruises, I noticed a huge, scabbing gash along his arms. I gasped. "Did Emmet and Jasper do that to you?"

He quickly covered it up by pulling his sleeve down. "No."

"Then how-" He cut me off again.

"I tripped down a staircase, okay?" He sounded fed up.

"Um, okay. Sorry," I mumbled as I looked down and blushed.

He sighed. "It's okay, I just feel tired." I noticed that there seemed to be an awful lot of bruises. I was just about to ask but stopped myself. He was probably already sick of my questions.

**Apov**

I was a few minutes late for class and got told off. I couldn't care less, not after what had happened. I remembered that Jasper was in this class and glanced at him for a few seconds before sitting in a different seat, not next to him like usual. I saw Jasper looking at me brokenheartedly out of the corner of my eye. This made me feel even more devastated.

"Mr. Hale, pay attention please." He reluclantly turned his head back around. It took me every ounce of my concentration and effort not to break down in tears for the rest of that lesson. We had only been together for a few days and had become really close to each other. Then he made a promise to never hurt me in any way but broke it on the same day he made it.

At the end I ran out of the classroom straight away but when spun back around Jasper was there. He gently touched my hand. "Please, I'm so sorry I did that, please, forgive me," He was whispering at the end.

I waited until I was sure I could speak without having an emotional breakdown. "I-I can't! You did something unforgivable and you broke your promise!" It was getting harder and harder to speak as I looked at him so I looked at the floor. I heard footsteps coming towards me.

"Why are you still talking to my sister? After what you did! You _and _Emmet! Just go away and don't talk to us!" Rosalie was practically shouting at him. People were staring at us and mumbling amongst themselves. Probably about us. As if we cared. Jasper gave me one last heartbreaking look that almost set me crying before walking away.

Me and Rosalie walked silently to class with people around us looking at us then whispering to their friends. Rose glared at them.

**Bpov**

After we got home Alice and Rosalie just weren't the same anymore for the rest of the week. Well, Rosalie was back to her previously grumpy self, except even worse and Alice just locked herself in her bedroom. I pretended I understood what they were going through, but I had no idea as I had no experience with boys. I didn't know how intense their relationships were, either.

I also didn't understand why Edward didn't want to report that..._incident._

Renee and Charlie were curious of what had happened, and kept asking Rosalie and Alice what the problem was, but Rosalie and Alice never answered them. Then they started pestering me. "Nothing," Was always my answer.

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_**IMPORTANT NOTICE!!! READ!!!**_

_**I'm going on a music summerschool tomorrow(I know, going to another camp 4 days after I've just been to one.), and I'll be playing the violin there. It'll last 4 days from 9am-10pm. I won't be staying there, I'll be able to go home at night but I won't have time to update. Of course I'll bring my notebook along and write a few pages of the next chappie in when I have time during summerschool but I don't think I'll be able to have access to the internet during that time, and if I do, I'll only have enough time to check my email.**_

_**This the longest one I've done. I know when it gets towards the end it isn't too good, because I was starting to lose cocentration at that point and I wasn't sure how to put what I wanted to write down into words. But still hope you liked it!!!**_

_**I know Rosalie and Alice breaking up with their boyfriends was a little dramatic, but Emmet and Jasper had been the best boyfriends they'd had, and it was as if they were made for each other, so, sorry, but I like being overdramatic.**_


	6. Secrecy

_**Hi! Soz I took so long to update. My parents keep finding excuses for me to stay away from the computer, and the other day, I almost got banned from the Internet for a week as I went on it so much.**_

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**_Dedicated to_** _**lozzy035**__**, **__**Marie**__**(even though she's an anonymous reviewer) and **__**Twilight000001!!!**_

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**6. Where Is He?**

**Bpov**

As I went to school, ridiculously eager to see Edward, I thought about Friday night, how he had reacted when he heard Mom ask Anthony about why he became a policeman. He had been so angry…

My sisters were silent as we went to school. I was upset that they were upset, as I loved them even though they were sometimes quite annoying. An idea struck me, but it involved me suffering. Oh well. As if my concerns mattered to me.

"Do you want to go shopping in Port Angeles? You forgot to go at the weekend…" I hoped a shopping trip would cheer them up. To my surprise, Rosalie agreed.

"Of course! We never got the chance. We had to unpack." I smiled gratefully at her. "Alice?" She hadn't responded yet, and had a blank expression on her face.

"Yeah, that's a good idea." She forced herself to smile at me.

"I'll come with you as well." _If I have to. _I almost regretted saying that, but Alice's face made me want to do anything to make her happy. Rosalie was usually the hardest to cheer up. Today was the total opposite.

After I said goodbye to my sisters after arriving at school Angela walked over to me. "Hi Bella!"

"Hi," I smiled. As we walked to random places while Angela talked about her weekend. I wasn't paying attention; I was busy trying to look for Edward without looking suspicious.

Angela noticed, unfortunately. "What are you looking for?" Evident curiosity was in her voice.

"Nothing." She didn't seem to believe my all too innocent answer.

"_I _know. Your looking for Masen, aren't you?" She grinned teasingly at me.

I gave up. "Yeah. How do you know?"

"I've seen the way you look at him." She started smirking at me.

_Oh my! Does he notice that? Is it obvious? Does everyone know? _My face went through every different shade of pink and red as I thought this.

As if reading my mind, she said "Don't worry, it's not that obvious." I gave a huge sigh of relief.

"Thanks."

I also felt she should be given an explanation. "Do you know how my Dad is Police Chief?" She nodded for me to continue. "Well Edward's Dad is Assistant Police Chief." I knew it was a stupid excuse, but my imagination wasn't up to excuses right now.

"Oh." Angela accepted the excuse but her eyes told me differently. I sighed. She looked at me with curiosity but didn't say anything, thankfully. I was beginning to really like her.

**After School**

At the end of school I was being grouchy for a very stupid reason. Edward wasn't in. So I deliberately walked slowly to the car. Alice and Rosalie were already there and were impatiently waiting for me, which encouraged me to walk even slower. As I got into the driver's seat I immediately regretted walking too slowly.

"Why did you have to walk so slowly, on purpose? We have to get home _tonight_, remember? Not next year." I flinched. It was the most Rosalie had said at once since she broke up with Emmet.

"Sorry. Bad day," I mumbled.

Suddenly Alice smirked which might have been good sign that she's getting over Jasper. "You should have seen Rosalie, then. She got asked out by five boys today. It was hilarious!"

"And _you're _talking, Alice." Rosalie glared at her.

"Oh yeah, I got asked out by two boys. Not as much as Rose's _five_, though," She giggled tauntingly. This_ had _to be a good sign.

"When shall we go shopping, by the way? I can't believe we forgot to go that weekend! Well, we hadn't talked about it ever since we saw..." Rosalie's hand flew up to her mouth when she realized she was hinting about us seeing Emmet and Jasper... beating him up. Something flashed in Alice's eyes and her face went back to the dull expression she had worn for the past week.

Rosalie guiltily looked down, ashamed with herself for being so tactless. I smiled sympathetically at her. "Let's go tonight, alright?"

"Okay." Alice's voice was barely above a whisper. Rosalie looked like she felt even more terrible.

This was really quite a change. She was usually either really grumpy or just admiring herself in the mirror. I started feeling guilty as it was unfair that I was misjudging Rosalie.

We were silent on the rest of the way home. When we got home, we didn't get ready straight away as we still had some time. Thankfully Renee allowed us to go, with just a warning to be safe. I expect she was thinking that we wouldn't get lost so easily or anything as the shopping mall in Port Angeles were much smaller than the ones we normally went to, which was a plus. I wouldn't have to go to so many shops.

As I practiced playing my violin: which I loved, I heard a voice rising in the next room. I rushed out of my room anxiously, and ran into Alice's room.

"Just get over him, alright? It's not even a big deal or anything! We're all sick of having to see you down in the dumps all the time; you can't just mourn about him for the rest of your life!" Rosalie was shouting at Alice, who was staring at her with big sad eyes, but tears were flowing nonstop down her cheeks. "It's for your own safety as well." Rosalie quietly said that sentence. Alice seemed to understand what she was saying, but I was just looking to and fro between them.

Rosalie saw me standing by the door, not knowing what to do. "I'm sorry," _She was sorry?_ _Why? _"I'm just sick of Alice shutting herself up in her bedroom all the time ever since she broke up with-"

She was interrupted by Alice saying-no shouting a whole sentence for the first time in what seemed like ages. "WELL YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I FEEL! YOU DON'T CARE HOW I FEEL, EITHER! NO ONE DOES!" It was more than one sentence. Rosalie blinked in surprise at Alice's outburst. Alice then started sobbing. Rosalie stormed out of the room. I was going to follow her, but decided to stay with Alice.

Renee knocked on the door. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing! Just something we need to sort out between us," I called out.

"Well if you have any problems tell me, okay?" Renee seemed reluctant to leave.

I wasn't sure what to say. "Rosalie just missed the normal you, you know? She didn't mean to upset you." I tried my best to comfort her.

"I-I'm sorry. I just liked him so much, that's why." I hugged her for a few minutes.

"Do you still want to come shopping?" I asked quietly.

"Okay," Alice agreed quietly.

I walked out of her room without saying anything else. I realized Rosalie must be really angry with me for staying with Alice.

"Rosalie?" I gently knocked on her door.

"You can come in." She didn't sound angry, just frustrated, which made me sure I wasn't completely on her bad side.

"What's wrong?" I saw her sitting on her bed, staring at the floor. This wasn't like her. I sat down next to her.

"It's just I don't like it that Alice has gotten so close to Jasper." I was confused. Rosalie saw my face and almost smiled. Almost, but not quite.

"I want her to be safe. I love her and care about her; I just don't show it much. I love you too." I blinked, surprised.

"Mom and Dad never told you my story, did they?"

"What story?" What was this to do with Alice and Jasper, anyway? Rosalie and Alice had been adopted when they were 14.

"Why I got put up for adoption." I felt myself stiffen slightly. I didn't like it when anyone talked about them getting adopted; it made me feel as if they weren't my sisters. I supposed Rosalie had an excuse, even if I didn't know what it was.

"Well, my parents absolutely spoiled me when I was little. We were very rich, as well. My father owned a bank. I always got whatever I wanted. When I was at school, I was popular, and I could have any boy I wanted, except I wasn't interested in any of them. Until one day, there was a new arrival, called Royce. As all the others, he liked me as well. At first I didn't notice him at all, until he came up to me and started talking to me. He seemed so nice. Soon he asked me to be his girlfriend. I eagerly agreed, as I thought I liked him a lot."

"He was always so nice to me, buying me beautiful flowers every time we had a date. But when I introduced him to my father my father wasn't very pleased; he wanted me to get together with a rich person, so our wealth wouldn't be wasted. I was angry as I was only thirteen at the time, so even though I couldn't imagine it, I told him I might still break up with him."

"He calmed down a bit when I said this, and let me go out with Royce. One day I was doing the shopping for my parents." She started whispering.

"I came home and when I unlocked the door, as soon as I got in someone slammed the door shut and closed their hand over my mouth. I dropped my bags in shock, and as I got dragged to the living room, I saw _him _pointing a gun at someone, which were my parents. He said, "You're just in time to witness this." He then told my father to tell him his details to his bank account or else he'd kill me.

My father said, "You'd never." To prove his point, Royce pointed his gun at me.

"Just let her go! We'll give you it!" My mother was crying for my safety. I tried to give her a reassuring look with my eyes, as my mouth was still clamped shut, but failed; the terror I felt was impossible to conceal.

My father gave in at that moment, and told him all the details. Royce smiled slyly at me, then k-killed my parents. Now the person who had been holding me let go of me, and pushed me towards my parent's bodies, where I stumbled and fell on top of them. I prepared for them to kill me next, but they tied me up between my parent's bodies where I was sobbing so hard my stomach hurt.

I found out that the other person-the one that pushed me was Royce's older brother, Bruce. They went to the bank to collect all the money. I thought they were gone for good. But they came back. "You didn't think we'd just leave you here did we?" Royce had an evil smile on his face which sent shivers down my backbone.

They undid the rope which had tied me up and dragged me to my parent's bedroom. Th-they took turns." Tears were flowing down her cheeks. I immediately understood what she was talking about.

"They carried on for a few days, sleeping and eating in my house. In the end they were tired of me and left me half-dead and naked in the corner of a room. Later the police somehow came and they sent me to a children's home.

I've never told the full details to anyone except you and Alice, you know. I'm sorry, but I told Alice first as I thought she'd understand as she had been through a hard experience. I'm not saying you haven't though. It's just what I thought at the time. So Emmet was the first boyfriend I'd had since then. I've been careful not to trust boys that much, as both of the boyfriends I've had hurt me! So I was worried about Alice's safety."

"Oh. Thanks for telling me this. It must be hard telling someone a secret you never tell anyone else." I wasn't sure what else to say.

Rosalie smiled gratefully at me. "Thanks for understanding. But I need to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Please can _you _talk to Alice for me? You're the most sensible one in the family, even though you're the youngest. Alice also listens to you more than she listens to me." _Apart from when it comes to clothes_, I thought darkly.

"Okay. So you want me to tell her to get over Jasper?" If this made her happy.

"Yeah. Thanks so much!" She gave me a hug, something that was totally unexpected.

"Err... Your welcome?" It came out as a question. Rosalie didn't notice it, though.

**After They Arrive At The Mall In Port Angeles**

As we walked into a noisy, people infested shop, Rosalie said she was going to the toilet, and looked meaningfully at me before she left us. I understood.

"Alice?" I asked as we looked at this nice dress.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know... Jasper?" I hoped she wouldn't get too upset. I saw something flash in her eyes. She didn't reply.

"Well me and Rose really miss the usual you, the bouncy, cheerful you. Seeing you unhappy makes us feel really depressed. I know you really liked Jasper, but you need to get on with life, as someday you will either get back together with him or meet someone else." I bit my lip and looked up at Alice's face.

"I'm so sorry, it's just because it's the first time I've ever felt like this for a boy, so I didn't want to lose that feeling." She looked up, her eyes were slightly sad but she truly looked sorry.

"Well, I don't think you ever will lose that feeling, even if you try to ignore it. Well, it might fade a bit, but I think you will never lose that feeling." The words just spilt out of my mouth. Why was I even giving advice about something I had no experience with?

"Yeah, maybe you're right." Alice smiled warmly at me, without any force, which made my day.

"Thanks, Alice. In return I will let you force me to go to _one _more shopping trip, no complaining, either. Only _one_, though."

She beamed half-evilly and half-happily at me. "Yay! I can't wait! I wonder if we should go to two different malls in that shopping trip..." Oops.

"No! I don't wanna go to two malls! I only said one!" I whined.

"You said _one _shopping trip, not one mall. You didn't limit the malls, or the time. Yay! We can have a whole day off and go to all the malls in the Olympic Peninsula!" HUGE whoops. Not a whole day. No way!

"Please, no!" I groaned.

"Too late now!" She grinned evilly at me.

I scowled at her.

Just then, Rosalie came back and looked questioningly at me without Alice noticing. I nodded slightly. She smiled.

"Where should we go next, Alice?" Alice answered immediately and told her about _the shopping trip_. I groaned again. Rosalie's eyes lit and they planned a minute by minute clothes infested torture for me. Even though I was dreading it, I couldn't quite bring myself to regret saying it. It had at least cheered both of them up. I noticed that lately I had been the one that solved everyone else's problems, but hadn't even got to solving my own problems, or even working out what exactly my own problems _were_. All I knew was that there-was something wrong about something.

**That Night In Bed**

Today had been a long day. I was just about to drift off to sleep when I realized what was wrong. It was Edward. Everything I saw him do or react to had a painful edge to them._ That _was what was wrong. With that thought I fell asleep, hanging on to it, desperate not to forget it.

**The Next Day: Tuesday**

I was desperate to find out more about him, and help him out whatever his problem was. Something also kept nagging at me in my head: _Don't go near him, he's dangerous. Ignore him, don't have anything to do with him anymore._

I tried to stop thinking that thought, but it just kept nagging at me. Even if I were to listen to it, I don't think ignoring him would be possible. I was already too curious with his life.

As the day passed by, I still couldn't find him. _Where is he?_

Alice was completely back to normal, apart from when she saw Jasper in the cafeteria or while going to class, she froze for a few seconds and something flashed in her eyes before she carried on doing what she had been doing.

**As The Rest of The Week Goes By**

Edward wasn't in school for the rest of the week. Everyday I looked for him, he wasn't in. Everyday I wondered what was wrong. Everyday I thought: _Where is he? _

* * *

**_I'm soz this chapter isn't that good coming towards the end, but I'd written 3480 words already and I was getting kinda tired. This is the longest chapter I've written yet._**

**_OH BY THE WAY AT MUSIC CAMP I HAD A FRIEND AND A BOY AT HER SCHOOL IS THE LITTLE BRO OF THE ACTOR WHO'S GONNA PLAY DEMETRIIN NEW MOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**

**_The 'lil bro looks a bit like Edward as well. (I meant the hair. It looks like Edward's hair. I'm not really that bothered about the brother looking like Edward cos I got healed from Obsessed Cullen Disorder a few weeks ago. No, don't try and kill me. I still love Twilight, I'm just not that mad about Edward anymore. No, still don't kill me. I have a very good reason why. You can ask me if you want.)_**

**_Five days 'til school starts. Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE DON'T TAKE AWAY MY FREEDOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**

**_Plz review, as well. It means a lot to me. I will try and update as fast as I can as well, but I'll still be updating slower than usual as I'll only allowed 30 Min's on the PC on school days. I won't be able to go on at school, either, even if If I type my story on Microsoft Word the head of ICT will be able to delete the whole document if he sees that it's nothing to do with school._**


	7. Where Is He?

_**Hi! Back from my music summer school now!!! I did two concerts-one in the Gala Theatre where I live and another one at a square (Millennium Square). And something weird happened. **_

_**There were two boys there called Edward and Jacob. And there was a girl called Isabelle. Which is weird. Edward did the violin(like me) and Jacob did- what do you call it again? I think it was a box. Izzy(Isabelle) did the flute. Weird or what? All in the same camp-or room!!! I know I'm making a bit of a fuss about this but that's just me!!!LOL!!!**_

_**Soz I haven't updated in a while. After Music camp I kept getting writer's block.**_

_**With thanks to **__**-CrA-zAy ChIcKiE-**__**for being the first to review my last chappie!**_

* * *

**7. Secrecy**

**Epov**

I couldn't believe what was happening while Bella and her sisters helped me clean my self up, even when I tried to refuse. Suddenly I heard Bella gasp. "Did Emmet and Jasper do _that _to you?" I looked up and followed her gaze...onto my arm. She was staring in shock at one of the many deep scratches Elizabeth had done on my arm the other day.

I quickly snatched my arm away and pulled my sleeve down to cover it.

"No."

"Then how-" I cut her off angrily.

"I tripped down a staircase, okay?"

"Um, okay. Sorry," She mumbled as she looked down and blushed.

I sighed, regretting snapping at her immediately. "It's okay, I just feel tired."

As I headed towards next lesson with Bella, I hoped and wished (even though I didn't believe in them) that Bella wouldn't tell anyone about what she saw. I didn't want to know what would happen if any of my parents found out. Maybe I would get what happened to _her._ I quickly pushed that thought away but it still managed to get at me. I felt my heart ripping apart and crossed my arms and clenched my fists to stop myself having an emotional breakdown. I found my insides ripping apart with the pain_...of that thought._

For the rest of the week I tried to keep as far away from Bella as I could. I didn't talk to her at all. The problem was that I had an awful lot of free time at lunch due to the Emmet and Jasper incident and thoughts I didn't want to know about kept creeping into my mind and ripped me up once again. I tried going to the library but furiously found Bella there as well, and stormed noisily out of the library.

**After School**

"Edward!" I warily went to Anthony's bedroom, where he was lying in his bed with his police uniform still on. "We're going to the Swan's house tonight and I want you to behave, do you hear me?" He swiftly swung his legs off the bed and walked over to me.

"Yeah, Dad." I wasn't allowed to call him Anthony.

"Get in your best clothes and _smile_. They'll think you're really miserable." He was sneering at me. "But I don't think you'll look any better than you already are as you're so ugly." He eyed me up and down. Anger briefly touched me.

As I sat in the backseat of Anthony's car I tried to myself from any thought I just concentrated on the buildings and houses we went past, memorizing how to get to the Swan's house.

As we turned onto their street Elizabeth turned to me (she was sitting in the backseat as well to make sure I didn't try anything). "You will behave and don't you dare try anything, you understand?"

"Yeah," I mumbled.

"Don't you dare mumble at me!" I heard a 'Slap!' and felt a sharp sting on my right cheek then realized she'd slapped me. "So, what did you say?"

"Yes, Mum." I tried to ignore the hot stinging on my cheek as I looked out the window. I saw someone peaking their head out of the window as we parked into Charlie's driveway. I saw Renee coming out and greeting us warmly. Why couldn't Elizabeth be like that? Kind and caring to her children, even to those who weren't her real children.

As we ate, I pretended to listen. I found that I kept remembering my memories, which I had been having trouble controlling over the last week.

"So, what made you want to be part of the police force then?" Renee seemed to hate getting left out in conversations.

"A member of our family-a cousin mysteriously disappeared one day," Anthony answered in a grave voice. "So I tried to search for her. In the end I joined the police force as I was so devoted to finding her."

Rage surged through me. _How dare he use her-_I struggled to even think of her-_as an excuse?_

"I'm so sorry." Renee's voice was soft and full of sympathy, as if she regretted being nosy. She was one kind hearted person.

"It's alright." Anthony kept a grave expression on his voice.

I clenched my fists under the table. I looked up and saw Bella staring at me curiously. Damn, why did she have to be so observant? I quickly recomposed my expression to a clean, polite one. I tried to think of unimportant things to stop me listening to the adults, anything.

I saw Rosalie looking bored and staring into space. Alice had sad eyes, and dully stared at the table without seeing it. Their expressions made me wonder what made them seem so glum. It hit me all of a sudden. Emmet and Jasper. But surely they wouldn't have such a big effect on Rosalie and Alice. Well, I wouldn't know. I didn't know them.

After we had dessert: Chocolate cake with cream- it was the best meal I'd had in my life- the adults kept chatting until it was quite late. Alice and Rosalie had gone to their rooms, and Bella followed as well as soon as she realized she didn't want to be on her own. So I had been stuck downstairs.

I watched as Charlie waved us off with a friendly smile on his face. I thought about how kind their parents were and how unkind mine were. I looked at the top windows of the house and saw a curtain twitching and chocolate brown eyes I knew too well peaking out. I smiled at those eyes and they seemed to smile back.

As I went home I knew what was going to happen as soon as I got through the front door. I walked as slowly as I could without being suspicious.

After we got in I saw Elizabeth lock the door. Anthony pushed me into the living room roughly. I stumbled to a stop.

"We're going to have quite some fun tonight aren't we, Edward?" Anthony started cracking his knuckles, "After all that food tonight I have lots of energy. Do you know what I'm going to use it up on?"

I didn't respond.

"I'm going to use it on you! Say thanks to your lovely and caring parents!" He started laughing hysterically. Suddenly he stopped. "I'm serious you know. About saying thanks. SAY IT!" He pulled me up against the wall by my neck.

I felt sick. At the thought of how sick these people were. And I was fed up. But when I get fed up I start thinking and doing stupid things.

I was being stupid, thinking these things, but the pain and anger from my whole life lashed out in my mind. I started remembering the early days, when _she_-I struggled to think of her-did so much for me, but she was too weak. I had loved her; she was the best person I had ever met.

I started fuming with anger, and started shaking under Anthony's hand. I kicked him off me. "Why do you even do this anyway? It's just sick. YOU'RE SICK! By the way, NO THANKS!"

Anthony just stared at me, bemused while Elizabeth had a look of alarm on her face.

"Well, son," he slowly walked towards me. "Your loving parents hate you for being alive. Oh yeah, I forgot, we also hated that other rat but thankfully she has done a favour for us and went back out of this world. Except I don't think she completely grasped our hatred for her." He knew this would affect me.

My body started shaking so hard I was vibrating. It was like getting my heart ripped out with no anesthetic, then the rest of my insides being ripped apart. I couldn't stand the pain and tried to hold myself together, while my so called 'parents' watched my emotional breakdown in amusement.

I looked up at them, and Elizabeth seemed shocked by the amount of pain and hatred I held in my eyes. She widened her eyes but quickly recomposed her expression. To a thoroughly amused expression. Anthony still kept coming slowly towards me. I tried to push my memories back. But I was too slow and suddenly heard a thump. I heard someone groan and realized it was me groaning in pain at where Anthony kicked me.

I found myself on the floor, and saw his leg lifting up, ready to kick me again. I used my leg to kick the foot he was balancing on, idiotically. He tripped and fell. Elizabeth leaned against the living room door frame and shook her head.

"You really shouldn't have done that, Eddie," She was deliberately trying to annoy me using my nickname. I glared at her. Anthony got up and pinned me against the floor, sitting on my stomach.

He spat every word into my face. "Yeah, I agree with your mother. You truly should not have done that." I gulped.

I struggled beneath him while he tried to aim blows at me, sitting on me at the same time.

I started suffocating, unable to breathe because I was being squashed. I closed my eyes and started to feel sleepy. I fought against it, trying to resist the urge to give in. In the end, however hard I fought, it gradually took over me.

**When He Wakes up**

My mind slipped into consciousness. I felt quiet and peaceful for some strange reason. I kept my eyes closed and wondered why every part of my body hurt. Suddenly all the events of yesterday flooded into me and I responded with a painful gasp. I finally managed to open my eyes and found that I was still in the living room, propped up against a wall.

I got up slowly as I was very hurt. I looked at the time and realized it was the middle of the day. I froze in shock as I looked at...

* * *

_**So, who's the mysterious person who keeps getting hinted?**_

_**I know this isn't my best, but I got writer's block and couldn't think of anything much. I'll try and repost it later when I have some ideas. It's a bit short as well. Hope you forgive me for updating slow. Plz review as well!!!! I love my fellow reviewers!!!**_


	8. Author's Note

**_Hi! Before you all get excited this is not another chapter. It's and AN. I know I'm writing a lot of these but I hope you understand, as I had no other choice than to send this AN out, really. I tried my hardest to update faster but I couldn't concentrate._**

**_I'm sorry I've not updated yet, I've got lots of schoolwork (I restarted school last Thursday) as I've been put in top set for every subject so I get loadsa homework. _****_Plz forgive me. I will try my hardest to update as soon as possible, and that cliffie I had a few chapters ago will be continued in the next chapter but don't expect much; it'll sound so stupid for being excited as the next bit will sound totally not that good._**

**_Plz forgive me for this, and for not updating. _**

**_Easta Bunny xox_**

**_PS:(Don't need to read if you're not I Heart La Roux)_****_ Are you still going to at least read stories on fanfiction???? You should be able to read this cos I'm on your story alert, and you're always on your email. I feel lonely now, cos you're quitting. Shall_ I_ quit?  
Oh yeah, and STOP IGNORING MY EMAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU WERE ACTUALLY ON THE COMPUTER EVERYTIME I EMAILED YOU AND YOU IGNORED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'LL KILL YOU TOMOZ-no, I can't cos I'll end up busting more people's ear drums than I do on Friday so-I'LL KILL YOU ON FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**


	9. Pain, Joy, Anger and Pain All Over Again

_**Hi peeps!!!! Just need to say to everyone thx so much for the fantastic reviews!!!!! They mean a lot to me!!! Especially when some people tell me I'm good cos I actually used to be quite bad at English at school although I loved making up stories in my head and I loved reading!!!!! **_

**_Anyway, here's what you've all been waiting for!!!_**

* * *

**8. New Hope**

**Pain, Joy, Anger and Pain All Over Again**

_**Previously:**_

_I got up slowly as I was very hurt. I looked at the time and realized it was the middle of the day. I froze in shock as I looked at..._

**Epov**

...The calendar that my parents had put up on the wall. It was the second Monday since I'd been to the Swan's. I had been unconscious for ten days. Was it possible? That I could get hurt so much by…My _parents?_ I looked properly at my body. My best clothes, the ones that I had worn on the visit to the Swan's, were ripped and covered in (some new and some old) mostly dry, crusty, brownish-reddish blood. _My blood._ For some reason, I was sick of being angry so I just let that thought wash over me. Maybe it was because I had been so angry lately I had used up all my 'angriness'.

While I very painfully and slowly made an effort to clean myself up a bit, I decided to eat some of the food from the kitchen as I didn't think I could hold off any longer from the hunger. I greedily drank lots of water and ate some of the bread Elizabeth and Anthony usually had for breakfast. I knew I'd get in trouble again later, but a the moment I felt a bit light-headed.

I decided to go to school so I would be safe from Elizabeth for a while as she got home from her job at one pm. I was very hurt, and I knew I wouldn't be able to move very well but at least I didn't have any sports lessons today. I took some money that Anthony had left on the table so I could buy some things in the canteen when I got to school. I knew I was being very stupid, but I couldn't care less right now.

**When He Arrives In the Canteen At School**

I made sure I looked completely normal-well, normal as in not suspicious anyway- as I walked into school. As I checked the school clock I realised I only had about fifteen minutes left before the bell. I jogged to the canteen and into the now very short queue of the food bar and immediately regretted it. I was covered in bruises and they all had started throbbing quite badly.

I struggled to keep standing straight and stop the pain showing on my face. In doing so, my tray fell and hit the person in front of me.

"Oh!" Exclaimed a quiet, shy voice as I picked the tray back up.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"It's alright." I made sure not to look into her eyes, knowing that I would end up being unable to escape from those deep, fascinating chocolate-brown eyes.

"So... you haven't been in school for a week." I mentally slapped myself, even though it wasn't _completely_my fault for being unconscious for that long.

"Yeah." I searched through my head, trying to make up an answer for the next question she would ask.

She opened her mouth to speak, but thankfully she was interrupted by the cook asking her what she'd like to have. She blushed and quickly told the cook her food selection.

"What about you, dear?" The cook seemed slightly surprised, as she hadn't really seen me before; I'd never got food from the canteen before.

I picked the first hot thing I saw. "Jacket potato with cheese on, please." **_(AN:I LOVE it when the cheese melts. It's gorgeous!!!!)_**

I sat down at an empty table in the corner of the canteen. I bit into the lush, hot potatto slowly and after that I began eating it quite quickly, as I was very hungry.

Just when I finished I heard someone tap me on the shoulder.

"Erm... Can I sit with you?" Asked a voice I knew just _too_ well.

"Yeah, well, if you want..." I answered, quite surprised.

She shly smiled at me as she sat down in the seat next to me.

"Well, this is different," I managed, breaking the silence.

"Yeah." She suddenly seemed to be at loss for words.

"So, why?" I pressed.

She paused before answering. "You just look lonely, like you could do with talking to someone."

"Oh. Thanks?" It came out slightly as a question.

"So er... Tell me about yourself," She asked unsurely, as if she wasn't sure of what she wanted to talk about. That thought almost made me smile.

"Erm, well my favourite books are Harry Potter books." I said the first thing that came into my mind.

"I can't decide which books are my favourite." She paused for a few seconds. "I play the violin. Do you play anything?"

"No. Not really." _Not really._

"When's your birthday?" She suddenly asked.

"June twentieth. You?" I was starting to like doing this.

"September thirteenth."

"Why did you come here?" I felt desperate to know as much as I could about her.

Bella paused this time before answering. "Charlie divorced with Renee." I opened my mouth to ask a question but Bella got there before me. "When I was fourteen. Renee met this guy called Phil and they almost got married, except on the wedding day Renee found Phil having an affair with her best friend. She called off the wedding and then she realised she still loved Charlie and they got back together again." She looked sadly at the wall behind me.

"Oh. I didn't know. I'm sorry." I needed to comfort her, well I _wanted_ to comfort her.

"You don't need to be sorry, they're back together." Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears as she looked away. Something told me that there was something else she hadn't told me.

"What have you got next?"

"Lets see." She looked at her timetable. "Biology."

My heart lept. "Me too." I smiled slightly at her.

"Shall we go now?" She asked looking pointedly at the time on the wall. I had lost track of time while talking to her, and didn't realise there was only two minutes before the bell.

"Yeah," I agreed. We got up and set off to the Science block. As I got up pain shot through my body. I winced at the pain, and if Bella noticed it, she didn't say anything. We asked each other questions on the way there. We were just in time for class. I inwardly groaned as I saw Eric glare at me when he saw who I was with. This was another fight I wasn't going to look forward to.

I sat down in my usual seat, wincing as pain shot through my body again, but hid my enthusiasm well (so I think) as Bella sat next to me, the only vacant seat in the whole classroom. Class went by quickly as we finished our work fast and carried on asking questions to each other. For some I had to pause for a few seconds to make the answer up, as I didn't really want to imagine what would happen to me if I leaked the truth out.

**Bpov**

I kept noticing Edward wincing-in pain, perhaps? I decided I would ask at the end of the lesson. He barely told me anything about myself, but I found myself revealing almost everything about myself. Some of the answers he gave seemed suspicious. I mentally argued with myself whether he was lying or not. I refused to believe he would lie to me.

The bell went.

"Edward?" I kept my voice steady and innocent.

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright? You keep acting as though you're in pain. What's wrong? You can tell me, I won't tell anyone else, honest." I was overdoing it. I knew that it couldn't be anything serious, but I still had my suspicions.

"Nothing's wrong." He answered too quickly for me to believe it. He stared straight ahead as he said this, walking faster.

"_I know_ wrong, don't lie to me, Edward, like you keep doing," I was losing my patience, and the last couple of words had slipped out of my mouth before I knew it.

He stopped so suddenly and glared at me. "Why don't you stop asking questions, and I'll give you answers? Stop attacking me with personal questions, will you?" He snapped. I blinked, slightly surprised at the sudden change of tone.

"Oh, so it's personal, is it?" I felt slightly irritated with myself.

"Did you hear me? I said stop asking me questions!" He was glaring so coldly at me.

"It's only fair you start giving me some truth as I told you nearly everything about me but then you just give me an even amount of _lies!_" I hissed fiercely at him, then walked away, fuming with anger. After last lesson I was still very angry, and when I got to my Mercedes, I slammed the door harder than was necessary.

"What's up, Bella?" Alice was already in the car.

"_Just a bit of falling out, nothing much_." My knuckles whitened as I closed my hands into a fist on the steering wheel.

"Tell me," She ordered so sincerely as she got into the front passenger seat next to me I obeyed.

"I told _him_ nearly everything about me and then I asked one little question, trying to get the first bit of truth out of him as he lied to me all lesson." I started straight ahead, and my eyes narrowed into thin slits as I said this.

"Does this _him_ happen to be Edward?" I turned my head and found that Rosalie had already arrived, and had stuck her head through the window, listening.

"_Yes."_

"Well, we'll sort it out, we owe you anyway," She said surprisingly cheerily, but seriously. "Come on, Alice."

I stared at them getting out the car, dazed.

**Epov**

I walked through the school car park, thinking. I felt guilty and angry at the same time. She was very observant. Too observant.

"Hey!" I heard a girl shout.

I looked up, and it was that vain blonde, Bella's sister. I looked back down and kept walking, thinking she was talking to someone else.

"Don't you dare walk away! I want to talk to you" I looked up again, and Rosalie was walking towards me and looking-no glaring straight at me.

"You upset our sister!" A tiny, pixie-like figure behind blondie yelled angrily. Bella's other sister. Great. People were starting to stare, but the two girls didn't seem to care. I stopped.

"Listen, you'd better stop upsetting our sister. _Or else_." Blondie threatened.

I replied with a sarcastic question. "You're that blonde Emmet's going out with, aren't you. And you're Jasper's girlfriend, aren't you?" Directing that last part to Alice I knew this would have effect on her, but this wasn't what I expected.

She went red with fury and steam was almost coming out of her ears.

"You listen to me, Masen. First, Rosalie ditched Emmet. Second, I ditched Jasper-" She winced. "-, and third, you are stupid idiotic jerk, and I won't really mind what your father will do to you when my dad puts your dad in the worst position in a police force."

_Will???_ "Your dad won't let you do that," I hissed at her, really hoping he wouldn't and maybe then she _would_ mind what Anthony might do.

She suddenly stuck her bottom lip out and her eyes became very round and innocent blue and she said in a very childish voice:"Daddy? D-do you know uncle Mason? His son called Edward is being h-howible to me, Rosie and Bella and I told him accidently-"And pretended to look like she was close to tears, "-that you would make his daddy angry with him by putting his daddy in the worst worst place on the police force ever, and I didn't mean it but if that doesn't happen he'll keep on beind howible to me, Rosie and Bella, and I don't like it when people are nasty to me and my lovely sisters." Then she pretended to burst into tears. I almost fell for it. Almost.

"And _that's _how I'll do it," She grinned evilly, suddenly taking off her puppy face and replacing it with a threatening expression.

**Bpov**

When Alice and Rose came back they were giggling. I stared curiously at them.

"Bella, you should've seen Alice! She totally tricked him!" Rosalie was finding it hard to stop giggling.

"What? What happened?" I was slightly irritated that I'd missed out what seemed like a reall good part.

"Show her Alice!" Rosalie was out of breath now.

She put on her irresistable puppy dog expression on. Oh no. "Daddy? D-do you know uncle Masen? His son is being h-howible to me, Rosie and Bella and I told him accidently-"

And pretended to look like she was close to tears, "-that you'd make his daddy angry with him by putting his daddy in the worst worst place on the police force ever, but I didn't mean it but if that doesn't happen he'll keep on beind howible to me, Rosie and Bella, and I don't like it when people are nasty to me and my sisters." Then she pretended to burst into tears.

We all burst out laughing which lightened my mood, but when I had started driving the car had swerved slightly, which made us all laugh again after five minutes of being silent when the car had swerved. When we got in through the door we were still giggling, which was starting to get out of hand, as we weren't very sure what we were giggling about anymore.

Renee stared, bewildered. "So, had a good day?" She was desperate to be let in on the joke but we glanced at each other, and resolved not to tell her all of it.

"Well, Alice managed to trick someone. Show her!"

**Epov**

I walked back home without looking at where I was going. Would Alice really do that? She had seemed so convincing. Her father wouldn't think she was like six years old. She was eighteen, for crying out loud! But would her father fall for it? I had, almost.

I suddenly realised I had got home. I pushed the door handle, and went in, regretting every second.

"Thought you'd run off did you? But then you just realised that home is where you belong!" I looked up to see Anthony sneering evilly at me. "Right, then. Your punishment: We get to start extra early!" He cracked his knuckles, trying to make a good effect.

**A Few Hours Later**

Anthony and Elizabeth had already gone. Thinking I was unconscious, and went to a pub, I expect. I very slowly got up from the floor and found a gash on my side which was still bleeding. I used my clothes to try and stop the blood.

**Two Hours Later**

The deep gash still hadn't stopped bleeding, and I was sitting in a pool of my own blood. I knew I would become unconscious soon; I was losing too much blood. I was starting to feel light-headed.

_I mustn't let this happen, I mustn't let this happen, I mustn't let this happen. You promised her, Edward. Don't do this to her. _I shot up onto my feet, clutching my side, but not caring about the pain.

I knew the door was locked, so I climbed out of a window and tumbled into the soft grass below. I forced myself back up again, and limped out onto the road. I knew where I was going, I still remembered.

* * *

**_So!!!!!!!!!! Soz it took so longto update!!!!!!!!!!! SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ SOZ ok that's almost enough now._**

_**BY THE WAY, I GOT THE RESULTS FOR MY CHINESE GCSES WHICH I TOOK 4 YEARS EARLY AND WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST IN BRITAIN TO TAKE IT, AND GOT A*!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVEN THOUGH I HATE LEARNING CHINESE COS ITS SO HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But now I have to study for Chinese A level, and I'M ONLY 12 YRS OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_

**_I really hope you liked it. Plz take the time to review, as the next chapter isn't out yet, so you have all the time until I next update to review._**


	10. A Visitor

**_Hi! Yeah, I know. This is the first proper cliffhanger I've had, Isn't it?_**

**_By the way I have an idea for a new story: Bella is a human and the Cullens come into town. She knows what their secret but has bigger secrets of her own, much bigger than then the Cullens expect._**

**_Well, that might be the summary, and I have a pretty good idea of what to do, but I'm not going to tell you anything else, it'll spoil it!!! I've also written a few paragraphs. So, what do you think?_**

* * *

**9. New Hope**

**A Visitor**

**_Previously:_**

_The deep gash still hadn't stopped bleeding, and I was sitting in a pool of my own blood. I knew I would become unconscious soon; I was losing too much blood. I was starting to feel light-headed._

**_I mustn't let this happen, I mustn't let this happen, and I mustn't let this happen. You promised her, Edward. Don't do this to her. _**_I shot up onto my feet, clutching my side, but not caring about the pain._

_I knew the door was locked, so I climbed out of a window and tumbled into the soft grass below. I forced myself back up again, and limped out onto the road. I knew where I was going, I still remembered._

**Bpov**

That night in bed, when we'd got over the joke, I still wondered. What was it that made him so angry and desperate to hide whatever he was hiding?

_Whatever it is, it doesn't seem good, so ignore it and go to sleep!_ But I couldn't.

I tried sleeping anyway, but kept awake for a few hours before I almost completely relaxed and fell during my sleep I heard a few banging noises, or was it a conking noise? Then heard it again so loud I woke up and sat up, scared. I checked the time. It was 2a.m.

Then it again: _Conk, conk._ So it wasn't a dream, or a nightmare. It was coming from the window. I slowly and reluctantly got out of my warm bed and tip-toed towards the bedroom window. I stopped when I got there, and wondered if I should pull back the curtains.

I twitched it a bit and peeked out of the tiny gap as discreetly as I could. There, down below was a familiar figure, throwing pebbles at my window. I frowned and fully pulled back the curtains.

"Bella!" He shouted, but in a slightly choked voice.

I opened the window. "What are you doing here, Edward?" I hissed.

"Bella! I need you to help me!" He whispered in a dry voice, full of pain.

I nodded and opened the window wider.

**Half an Hour Later**

"Why did you come to me?" I asked?

"Well, I knew you could help, and you did tell me today-I mean yesterday that you were interested in becoming a doctor. I knew I could trust you." I knew he was dreading the part when he was going to have to tell me.

"How did that happen, then? And don't lie to me anymore, you know perfectly well I'm not going to believe that you fell down _another_ set of stairs," I said, reminding him that I had not forgotten that time when me and my sisters had stopped Emmet and Jasper from beating him up and that lie he had told for his arm. I saw that there was still a scar there.

He had known this was coming, and looked down and stayed silent for five minutes before launching into the story.

"M-my parents. They like to hurt me. Physically. That's why I was off school last week. I'd been unconscious. That's why I'm covered in bruises and cuts everyday." He didn't want to say anymore.

"Sorry if this offends you at all, but I'd like to know. I've heard about this kind of stuff before and most people, they commit suicide." I felt my face flush red; I didn't want to hurt his feelings or give him ideas.

He paused for a minute this time before answering. "I made a promise, long ago..."

"One more question, please." He nodded for me to continue.

"Are you going to go back to your house, or will you stay here?"

"I'll go back. I don't want everyone to know then end up being killed. Thanks, by the way." He said in a flat voice as he stared at the floor.

"No! You can't!" I shouted then shut up when I remembered that everyone else in the house was still asleep. I don't think anyone heard. I thought that too early.

The door crept open slowly, and Alice stuck her head in.

"What's wrong, Bella?" She asked sleepily. Then her eyes widened, "What's _he_ doing here?" At least she didn't shout. But Rosalie was behind her. They came into my room. Edward couldn't get back out the window, as I'd closed it and it didn't open like most windows opened.

"You are going to explain, Bella, right now," Rosalie said in her 'don't mess with me' voice.

"Edward, do you want me to tell them or you?" I asked gently.

He didn't respond, so I told them, and watched their eyes widen in shock.

"Please don't tell anyone," I pleaded.

"But Bella, this is serious. We can't just not tell anyone," Alice whined.

"No! Don't!" Edward sounded firm and resolved.

Finally we all agreed not to tell anyone. Yet.

Edward was acting very lightheaded, which I feared was from the loss of so much blood. I didn't let him sleep for the rest of the night. He glared at me when we told him we had no choice but to tell our parents, so they could help. Me and my sisters took turns sleeping to make sure Edward didn't fall asleep then end up staying asleep for the rest of eternity, which Edward was very irritated at.

In the morning, before breakfast, at 7am, I got nominated to tell Renee and Charlie.

I went downstairs into the kitchen where my parents were eating. "Mom, Dad, I need to tell you something."

Renee didn't react but Charlie obviously thought wrongly, as he went purple with rage.

"YOU'RE PREGNANT, AREN'T YOU?" He yelled.

I shook my head. "No. Do you know Edward, Anthony Mason's son? Well, err...," I hesitated, not sure how to say this.

"You're going out with him," He stated, his voice calm and deadly. I shook my head again.

"Charlie dear, let her talk, and don't get yourself in such a state." I smiled gratefully at Renee for saving me.

"Well, Edward's parents hurt him. A lot." I mumbled.

"What do you mean? Are you sure it isn't a lie, his son spinning a tragic tale to get some attention, just like his father?" Charlie raised his eyebrows at me.

"It wasn't a lie! And Edward is _not_ like his parents," I said, gritting my teeth.

"I'm sorry. But are you sure he was telling the truth?" Charlie asked gently.

I sighed. "Come up to my room. I've got proof." I motioned for Renee to follow, too.

I slowly opened my bedroom door to see Alice and Rose standing up, and Edward, was behind them.

"Mom, Dad. Edward is in here because he got hurt so badly he almost died, and you can't tell anyone. Not yet, anyway," I whispered.

Surprisingly, it was Edward who broke the silence which had followed after my speech. "I'm sorry I've decided to come here but I knew I could trust Bella, and she was the only one who could help me," He said in an exhausted but grateful voice.

**Thirty Minutes Later**

After we'd all finished having breakfast and had got ready for school, I reminded Renee to make Edward eat as much as he could (he was staying off school), as he was practically skin and bone.

**At School**

During lunchtime I didn't really notice what was eating, as I was deep in thought.

"...doctor new in town," The word 'doctor' grabbed my attention. For the first time today I listened to what Jessica was saying intently.

"And apparently he's a really good doctor, and totally gorgeous, and he's called Carly or something. He's going to visit this school to introduce himself in Biology," Jessica seemed pleased at the amount of attention she was getting. I rolled my eyes mentally at the 'totally gorgeous' comment.

A few minutes later I and Angela decided to walk to the library together.

"Do you know where Edward is today?" Angela asked me, slightly teasingly.

"No, not really. Probably at home or something." I wasn't totally lying, it was a little white lie; I didn't say whose home he was in.

"Do you know Jessica? She used to have a little crush on him," Angela giggled.

"Really?" I stared at her.

"Until his clothes started getting a bit tattier, she just went off him like-" She snapped her fingers "-That because of his clothes."

I raised my eyebrows slightly. Angela looked at me and nodded, as if in agreement.

Later, in Biology a man came into the classroom. He had blonde hair and bright blue eyes. I mentally agreed with Jessica-the fact that he was quite good-looking. There was an engagement ring on his left hand, which disappointed many girls in the class (excluding me) as they seemed to have fallen in love with him at first sight.

"Hi everyone, I'm Carlisle and I and my wife Esme are new in town," It was Carlisle, not Carly. "I'm going to be working at Forks Hospital from now on-"

A mobile rang. It was Carlisle's mobile phone.

"What is it?" He asked, and then paused; listening to the reply "I'll come to the hospital as quick as we can." He ended his call and immediately started packing his stuff into his bag. He urgently chatted to the teacher and turned back to look at us and explain. "Sorry kids, a doctor is off sick and there's an emergency at the hospital- a kid's unconscious 'cause of loss of blood so I need to go. Bye!"

My whole torso shot right up in my chair. Loss of blood… That could have been Edward!

"Are you alright, Bella?" Mike from the desk behind me asked.

"Yeah. I'm Fine. I couldn't be better," I replied, heart pounding.

**Apov**

As I went through my very messy locker cheerfully, looking for my books, there was a pink heart-shaped piece of paper lying on top of all the things. Curiously, I picked it up:

_Dear Alice, _

_I'm so sorry about what happened. I really want to explain. If you are willing to give me a chance, please meet me where we last saw each other before we stopped having anything to do with each other. You don't have to come if you don't want to, but I'll wait as long as I can for you. This is the chance for me to explain. I never intended to hurt you._

_Love J_

My heart dropped. I still thought about him all the time, I just hid my depression to keep my sisters happy. But I never expected _this_. This time neither Rosalie nor Bella could help me. This was totally my decision. I didn't watch where I was going and crashed into a massive, muscled boy.

"Watch it!" Emmet growled. I glared at him.

"S-sorry. I didn't know it was _you_..." I wasn't listening. I had started walking again, my mind full of thought, each side arguing whether I should meet Jasper or not.

Math class whizzed by, and so did German. Jasper was in both classes, but didn't give any hint that he'd sent me a note.

I walked slowly out of the classroom, full of indecision.

Where should I go, Jasper or sisters?

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**_Soz I haven't updated in ages again; doing half-term exams. Soz for the cliffhanger as well. I know this chapter isn't very good so you can give me advice and I'll rewrite it and repost it. I have half-term exams. Math and French tomoz._**


	11. Another Secret

**_Hi peeps!! I decided to give previews and dedications to the best reviews, as some people who are the first to review all the time only have one word. Here's what you've been waiting for!!!_**

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10. New Hope

Another Secret

**Apov**

_Where should I go, Jasper or sisters?_

I hadn't even decided when my legs started walking towards the back of the English block. No one was there, but I waited.

After five minutes I was just about to give up but a figure ran towards me. He looked surprised to see me there.

"Wow, I didn't expect you would come Alice," Jasper said, surprised. I felt suddenly soothed by the way he had said my name. He looked very tired, as he had dark rings under his eyes. He stayed silent for a moment, until I realised I was supposed to say something.

"I almost didn't. I wasn't sure what to do," I said shyly. "Do you still want to know?" He asked hesitantly. I nodded.

He began awkwardly. "Well…,"  
I leaned against the wall behind me.

**Later**

I couldn't speak. I had been through a lot lately. Moving from Phoenix to this dull town, getting a first boyfriend, breaking up with him the same day he became my boyfriend, acting and feeling depressed for a while, finding out about Edward, then this. We were silent for five minutes until Jasper finally spoke.

"A-are you alright, Alice?" He raised his hand to reach to me, but put it back down again. "Is this really true? It's not that I can't believe something so horrible could happen, as I've seen worse (doesn't mean your situation isn't serious, though), but…" My voice trailed off. He smiled sympathetically. "Yeah, it's true, however much I wish it wasn't."

We were silent for another few minutes. I gazed at the ground, and sensed Jasper coming towards me. I looked up. I didn't move, but smiled slightly. We were inches apart, and our heads tilted towards each other slightly. I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him towards me as his lips met mine, gentle and soft.

**Half an Hour Later**** After School**

**Bpov**

I darted in and out of empty classrooms, searching for Alice. I kept calling her name, each time becoming more frantic. I avoided any teacher. I found Rosalie, who looked as if she was going to cry, and together we kept searching. We decided to search outside, and looked around every building. We avoided the technology block. Suddenly a short figure appeared in the car park.

"Alice!" I yelled in relief and anger. I and Rosalie sprinted towards Alice then Rosalie started shaking Alice's shoulders as a tear of relief and worry slid down her cheek. Alice stared at us, slightly bemused. Annoyance flared inside me. "_Where have you been?_" Rosalie asked through gritted teeth.

"I…I'm sorry. I had to see my…History teacher. She wanted to talk to me because…my grades were slipping…"She trailed off awkwardly.

"And _that_ took forty-five minutes?" I asked, not really believing her. She glared at me. "Yes, it did." If she was telling the truth, she had a good excuse. Jasper sat next to her in that class. Her teacher was the only teacher that refused to change the seating plan.

We entered my car and was silent the whole trip home. Alice seemed slightly happier than usual. Not the slightly forced cheeriness anymore.

I remembered something just as I parked outside our house. I ran into the house and found Renee in the kitchen.

"Is he in-" I whispered, hoping it wasn't true. Renee, who was surprised that I'd guess so quickly, nodded her head. "I need to go. I'll be back in an hour." Rosalie and Alice had just come in, and stared at me questioningly. I rushed back out of the house into the car and started driving towards the local hospital.

**At the Hospital**

"Is there an Edward Masen in here?" I asked hurriedly to the receptionist. She looked through her computer. "Sorry, no one called Edward here." I thought quickly. Edward would want to hide his identity-from his parents' maybe, and forced Renee not to tell anyone his name. "Is there a person who was submitted to the hospital a few hours ago, and refused to tell anyone his name?" I crossed my fingers, hoping.

"Wait, let me see…" She browsed through her computer again. "There it is! He's in the emergency wards." I inwardly started panicking. _Emergency wards?!_

"Thank you so much! Finally, would you mind informing me of which doctor he's got?" She frowned slightly at me.

"Dr. C. Cullen. Is that all?" She asked.

I almost cried out in horror. "Yeah. Thanks again." I hurried along the emergency wards, looking out for Edward. I drew slowly to a halt as I saw his familiar figure on a bed. "Edward," I whispered. His eyes were closed and his skin was much paler than usual. He was sleeping.

I heard someone walking towards me. I span around. It was Dr. Cullen. "Who are you? Do you know this boy?" He asked, eyes full of intelligence. "Wait. I know you. You were in that Biology class a few hours ago." I nodded shyly.

"Is Ed-he the reason why you had to leave so quickly in a rush?" I stammered.

"Yes. Do you know him?"

I didn't know if I should tell him or not. After all, Edward hadn't wanted Renee to reveal his identity. "Yes. H-he's in some of my classes at school."

"Please will you tell me his name, as Renee could be questioned by the police." I mentally raised an eyebrow. My Dad was the Head of Police, but I still wondered whether

Dr. Cullen started writing a few words on his clipboard. He seemed to guess from my behaviour that something very bad had happened to Edward to get him in this state. "H-how is he, sir?" I asked quietly.

"Call me Carlisle. He's quite fragile at the moment from loss of blood. He was unconscious when a woman called Renee called for an ambulance. What is your name, may I ask?" He looked down at me gently.

"Bella." I bit my lip nervously.

"Bella…?"

"Swan," I prayed that the ambulance people hadn't asked for Renee's full name. Unfortunately, they had.

"Are you one of Renee's daughters?" I couldn't take this anymore. Worry took hold of me and tears started running down my cheek and I accidently let out a small, hysterical sob.

**A Few Minutes Later**

I was sitting on a seat next to Edward's bed as I calmed down. Carlisle sat next to me, telling me a few things about himself. "…I've always wanted a child but my wife had an illness. We've thought about adopting in the past but we're still not sure." I told him about my sisters were adopted-I felt I could trust him. I also told him how I was interested in becoming a doctor. He smiled, urging me to carry on.

**When She Gets Back Home**

As I walked through the front door I headed up to my room. Just as I reached my bedroom door Alice and Rosalie burst out of their rooms and continually asked me questions. "STOP it! Leave me alone!" I yelled. I entered my room and slammed the door shut.

I went back downstairs for tea and we ate silently. I broke the silence. "S-sorry. I was just feeling stressed and I took it out on you. Sorry." I mumbled, looking down, not daring to glance at my sisters.

"It doesn't matter. It was our fault for suddenly wrecking your head with questions when you were feeling upset," Alice's face was solemn and innocent as she spoke when I looked up. I could see something deep in her eyes, humour? She turned her face away too soon for me to see. I sighed, giving up. She exchanged a meaningful glance with Rosalie and the corners of their mouths twitched upwards slightly. "Tell me," I ordered, knowing that if I left it until later, it would be a bigger shock.

"No!" Alice exclaimed defiantly. I glared at her menacingly.

"Or else I'll do something you won't like," I smiled knowingly, but had no idea what I'd really do to her. She huffed and her bottom lip stuck out. "You need cheering up don't you? And you made a promise a while ago for me, but you seem to have forgotten about it." She grinned harder as she spoke. "Well, we are going shopping!" She exclaimed, delighted. She hopped off her chair and bounced around clapping her hands.

A very unusual reaction came from Charlie. "Who said you could? I'm tired of you girls going shopping whenever you like, spending as much as you want and not even bothering with your homework!" He almost growled. I blinked in surprise. He never usually reacted like this.

"I have two essays to write anyway,"I lied, relief flooding me.

"B-but we checked with Mom." Alice replied, her face a look of despair. Charlie still stood firm.

"Sorry dear, I know I promised, but there's a problem." Renee stated softly. I went back upstairs, almost whooping with triumph. I heard Renee talking to Alice in her room. I didn't know what they were talking about, but it sounded private, so I didn't try to interfere. But it seemed that after being talked to by Renee she was much more sensible. I wasn't sure if I thought this was a good thing or not though.

Later, I went back downstairs to ask Charlie something. He was watching TV. "Dad?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"What was Anthony like today at work?" I needed to be ready if he was going to do anything.

"He acted like nothing had happened. He was especially nice to me today. _Too_ nice." He seemed to be in deep thought. I knew Anthony was up to something. But I didn't know what.

**Renee's pov**

I had no choice but to explain to Alice our... problem. It always made me feel emotional how she and Rosalie still called me 'Mom', even though through most of their lives when they looked at us they were probably reminded of their old life, real parents, old friends that abandoned them after what had happened to them. Now I was worried; what if I couldn't look after them well enough? What if I couldn't provide them with what they needed?

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**_So, what did you think? Soz again I took so long; loadsa homework. Six pieces in two days. Haven't seen New Moon yet, but I will. I've just finished reading The Host and it's really good, being very slightly like Twilight! Guess what? Apparently Stephanie Meyer's writing a second and third sequel the The Host!!!! Amazing!!!! Yay!!!!_**

**_Please review, the next chapter's not gonna run away from you!!!_**


	12. New Home, New Hope

**_Soz for the long wait again, I know I told some of you I'd try to publish this chapter on Christmas day or Boxing day, but I had to go with my family to these places-seriously, no one ever tells me anything so I thought I'd have time to finish it then so soz again, peeps._  


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11. New Hope

New Home, New Hope

**Bpov**

The next day, Saturday, I went to visit the hospital again. Edward had been moved from the emergency ward to another ward, but I still found him. He was awake this time and my lips stretched into a shy smile which disappeared when I saw his expression. He glared at me. "My parents will find me now, and it's all your fault."

Irritation, hurt and guilt shot through me. "I had no choice Edward. They could have taken my Mom away for questioning."

He threw his brutal reply at me: "At least she wouldn't die. If it hadn't been for you everyone and everything would be alright." I cringed back at the harsh words, and my eyes filled up with tears of hurt. "I suppose you don't want to see me again. I won't bother you anymore." I said quietly, before turning round and walking calmly out of the door.

As I drove home, still not letting tears spill, I thought. Of course I knew it was a lie. I couldn't_ not_ see him. I needed to see him, even though he despised me much more now. I couldn't deny the fact that I…loved him. I said the word out loud. It tasted strange and foreign on my tongue.

I finally managed to recompose myself as I got home. I decided I would only visit the hospital, and ask the nurses to give him things from me but not tell him who they were from, so he wouldn't have to bear the hatred of seeing me or knowing I wasn't keeping away from him as I should.

Alice seemed to be chirpier than usual, no forced smiles or enthusiasm. At the same time she seemed to be a little downcast, and she was more careful with her usually reckless decisions, choosing every option carefully. This was very unusual of her. I managed to find the bravery of asking her if this was anything to do with Jasper. She didn't reply ad walked away with a blank face, not giving anything away. I had watched Rosalie standing behind her give me a look, tight with suspicion.

I went to bed that night, exhausted, so I was too tired to cry about what had happened at the hospital.

I suddenly heard a noise-like rustling paper which jerked me fully awake. The sound had come from the door, and there was a piece of paper sticking out from underneath it. I reluctantly got out of my warm bed and walked over to the door to read what was on it. It was written in Alice's loopy handwriting:

_Meet me in my bedroom at __12am; I need to tell you something._

I glanced at my luminous clock. It was 11:57pm. Three minutes left. I ripped the piece of paper into tiny pieces and threw in the bin and opened my bedroom door and tip-toed towards Alice's room. Someone crept up behind me and grabbed my shoulder.

I stifled a shriek and span around on my heel. It was Rosalie. I let my breath out, panting with relief. She glared at me and mimed zipping her lips. We opened the door to Alice's room and gently shut it. Alice was just sitting on her bed, looking expectedly at us. We sat on her bed, hoping this wasn't going to be a waste of time. She switched her lamp on and used her duvet to cover it so it was very dim in the room. She began in a whisper: "I should have told you this but Jasper didn't want me to tell anyone. It was…yesterday, when you couldn't find me. He'd asked me to meet him, where you know, Edward…" I fought to control the sudden feeling that surged through my body at the word. Thankfully, neither Alice nor Rose noticed. She carried on:

"Well, I know it may sound weird, but do you know Emmet?" She ignored Rosalie's reaction. "Well his step-father really supports Emmet _Till_, the guy that got beaten up a few decades ago, and Jasper's father has hated Emmet's (the one we know) father since they were kids, so he decided to go racist just so he's against Emmet's dad. They fight all the time, and want the prejudice to carry on between their sons. At first Emmet gave Jasper grief, but after a few things happened, they made friends. They get a lot of stress at home, so they take it out on people…at school. Also Emmet was named after Emmet Till just to annoy Jasper's dad.

There was a minute's silence before Alice continued. "Everyone knows that their dads fought all the time, but no one knows why. Well us three, Emmet and Jasper are exceptions of course. Weird, isn't it?" I and Rose nodded very slowly, trying to take this information all in. I wasn't going to forgive Emmet and Jasper so quickly; it still wasn't an excuse for them to eat people up because of stress they were given at home. Alice noticed my expression and nodded, agreeing with me.

"I know, so I told him I still needed time to forgive him; it still didn't give him an excuse to go and beat Edward up."

Rosalie was silent, thinking thoughtfully. Probably debating to herself whether Emmet was worth forgiving. Well that solved…most of their problems. Two more decisions now. 1. To forgive them. 2. To take them back.

I left the room, leaving them to wander in silence. As I crawled into bed I suddenly realised how tired I was-more tired than I was when I first got into bed. I soon fell asleep.

**Epov**

I hadn't meant to be so mean to Bella; it was…a burst of sudden selfishness. Unlike me, she was very selfless and as she promised, she never came to see me again at the hospital. Or so I thought. In the following days after our last meeting, almost every time I ate the nurses said I'd been sent some treats to have while eating. I received a card from her family. I knew no one could have been to visit me except Bella. An image flashed in my head and reminded me how beautiful she was, and I didn't try to deny the fact any longer: that I liked her. Too much.

I was to stay in hospital until it was decided who's care I would be put with; Anthony and Elizabeth had suddenly disappeared a few days ago. Now some people knew the secret. I dreaded the day when I might see Anthony again. I knew he was up to something, but what was it?

My thoughts were interrupted by Carlisle approaching. He had a worried look on his face, unlike his usual business like face. "Edward I've been thinking about something, but I need your permission." This surprised me. Why would he need my permission to do anything?

"What is it?" I asked, trying to work it out from his face.

"Would you like it if I and Esme adopted you? Esme cannot have children, because of an…accident," his face tried to hide his pain, but couldn't hide all of it. "So we had thought of adopting, but have never been so sure of it until now. I know you're already quite old, but would you like to be looked after until you leave to have an independent life?" Adopt me? Live in a place I could finally call home, and not have blood spattered all over the walls every night? Carlisle was a very kind and caring man, no doubt about that.

"Y-yes." I spluttered out. I wanted to be free of the suffering, the pain. I knew that thought was quite selfish. Millions of people in the world had it more than double as bad as me. He half-beamed at me. "Really? Of course I asked Bella's-" I almost flinched at the name. "-Family, just in case…" He trailed off, and there was a short, awkward silence.

"I would love to be part of your family. It's the best thing that has ever happened in my life!" My face lit up as I said this. But in the last sentence, I'd had a feeling that it was a lie-that there was something that was better that had happened, yet I was sure that it was one hundred percent true. I shook off the thought.

Carlisle smiled warmly at me. "I'll just go and get everything sorted, okay?" I replied with a smile. May be there was hope for me after all. New hope.

**Bpov**

I hoped Edward would agree. Carlisle could put an end to his pain, and help him start a new life. I decided to visit him on Monday evening, breaking the promise I'd made to both myself and him.

I met Dr. Cullen-who insisted that I called him Carlisle He greeted me, knowing I'd come to see Edward. "You've finally come. I think he's been missing you." He gave me a cheeky grin. I rolled my eyes at him, knowing he was lying. At least he was in a very good mood this evening. I walked on to Edward's ward, but slowed down nervously as I approached. I was just about to turn around and go back, but Edward spotted me. "Hi, Bella." His emerald green eyes looked somehow troubled but happy. I half marched to his bed.

"Listen, Edward, I'm sorry about Friday, I was being really selfish-" He cut me off, waving it away.

"It was my fault Bella, and _I'm_ the one who should be saying sorry," He paused, sitting up in his bed then looking deeply into my eyes. I shyly stared back in them, losing myself in them. "I'm sorry. I was the one being selfish and a total jerk. You are the most selfless person I've ever met." I blushed, now avoiding his eyes.

"You're forgiven. Thanks. So what did you tell Carlisle?" I changed the subject, to avoid me from feeling embarrassed. He smiled warmly.

"I said yes. I've just met Esme. She's really lovely." I felt pleased that he was finally happy. Maybe not fully happy, but at least right now nothing could hurt him, apart from memories.

**Half an Hour Later**

**Epov**

I watched the beautiful, green forest we passed as Esme drove me to her house. My house, I should say. My home. Right now, it seemed quite hard to grasp this miracle. It had all started with Bella. I had a lot to thank her for. I felt a strange longing in my chest for her, and sighed. Esme glanced at me and smiled a warm, motherly smile. "We're here now. Your new home." I turned my head round and it took me a while to take in the white beauty of it. My new home...

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**_I know I don't deserve any reviews for updating so slowly but...please? (*-_-*)_**

**_Lol happy late Christmas and a great New Year peeps!!!!_**


	13. New Everything

**_Hi!!! I know I promised to update soon but I had trouble getting on my computer, and at first I thought it had a virus and I don't know much about computers so I was like 'Oh no!!! What if all the files I have get deleted???', but thankfully nothing was wrong there was just a problem logging on to the computer. And my Dad fixed it for me on Friday. I know it isn't an excuse, but soz anyway._**

**_Anonymous Review Reply:  
_****_Alison Brown: I thought you said you gave up on my retarded story after I couldn't update for a week when I had to go to camp, and anyway, I've deleted that chapter saying I was upset about being mouthed off at because most people took it as a chance to mouth you off as well, which was not what the note was intended for. I only wanted to tell people that I wouldn't be able to update so fast all the time. And calling me a bitch again means nothing to me cos I've been called worse-some of them racist and some of them because I was being annoying on purpose(no big surprise LOL). Also next time you say you aren't going to read my story ever again please mean it. I'm not hoping or expecting an apology but just to inform you, if you happen to want to apologise to me I will accept it and forgive you. Well, I've already forgiven you anyway._**

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**_This chapter is dedicated to....RosalieItalia!!!Because a few weeks ago she quit Fanfic; saying she was getting too unhealthily addicted to it's brill stories, and I was so disappointed about her sudden disloyalty, but now she's back on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And also for being a great friend (also for letting me make you go hyper). Lolz. _**

**_I will sing the shark song every time I see you, RosalieItalia. Just like what I did with the boom-snap-clap thing last year on the way to Beamish Museum. Except I also had an excuse then, cos it was my birthday._**

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**12. New Hope**

**Epov**

I watched the huge meadow-sized lawn-or maybe it _was_ a meadow? - In front of the three stories tall house. It was silent apart from the river flowing peacefully nearby. Esme stood behind me, letting me take this in. "You like it?" She whispered.

"Y-yeah, it's so _peaceful_." So unlike in my…previous life. I shuddered, trying not to remember it. Esme noticed and anxiously asked, "Are you alright?" I nodded, trying to put the thickest wall I could between now and my…unpleasant memories. I knew inside would probably be more unexpected than the outside. I was right. I stepped through the porch to the door into a big room, the hallway. Walls had to have been knocked down to make this room. There was a cupboard next to me-to put shoes in with lots of shelves, and each person had two shelves each. I noticed that underneath Esme and Carlisle's shelves (there were labels to inform who was to use this shelf); there were already shoes under my name. Esme next to me, who followed my gaze smiled. "I already got some shoes for you. Carlisle told me your size," she explained.

I couldn't find anything to say apart from "Th-thanks."

"You don't need to thank me," she grinned. She showed me to my room on the third floor, informing me of which rooms were which and then left me on my own to unpack the few things I'd brought. There were patio doors on one side of the room, opening up to a balcony, and on the other side was a big wardrobe. I opened it and a light inside the wardrobe self-switched on. The clothes were neatly stacked; formal clothes in one group, non-formal in another, etc. There was a king-sized bed in the middle of the wall, so I put my bag down on there. There was a computer in the corner, to my surprise. I was sure they were trying to spoil me. Next to the desk with the computer on, were a few shelves with some books on. I found an en suite bathroom where the door looked like a normal wardrobe door. I decided to take a shower first-which I hadn't had in ages, then got dressed in a tee-shirt, sweater and jeans.

I unpacked the few things I had collected from my old…house, which consisted of a few books and a ring…I quickly put the ring away, to prevent myself from remembering more memories. I flopped down onto my bed, happy I was able to finally relax. I realised how tired I was, even though I'd slept a lot at the hospital. I feebly fought against my tiredness but soon gave in.

_I woke up, and through my disoriented eyes, I could see a dark figure standing at the foot of my bed. "Thought you could get rid of me?" The figure chuckled darkly. Suddenly my head felt very clear, adrenaline pumping continuously through me. I shot up straight in bed. "Just leave me alone," I meant my voice to sound confident but it came out in a croaky, strangled voice. Continuous spasms of fear crawled up my spine. Anthony walked to the side of my bed. "I wish I could, _son_." He threw a punch at my stomach, and I vomited blood up. I crawled off the bed, away from him, but fell onto the floor in an uncomfortable position. He walked to the other side, towards me, acting cool and sneering. Then I heard flesh connect with flesh, and a groan of pain. I thought this had ended, I thought I wouldn't be bothered by him again. Blood was everywhere, my blood, everywhere. And the pain, the burning pain._

I shot up straight in bed, and found that the room was empty. No dark figure anywhere. It was night, and the whole house was silent. I saw on the digital clock next to my bed that it was two o'clock in the morning. I breathed raggedly, face covered in sweat. Slowly my breathing slowed down. I knew the joy couldn't have lasted. I knew that he would probably see me again. I would have to be ready for then, if I could. There was only one dream that had ever been worse than this. A nightmare which I constantly dreamed. I tried not to think about it, shuddering again like this afternoon. Or yesterday afternoon, now it was two in the morning. I curled up into the smallest ball I could, as if trying to lock the memories in physically. It took hours for me to fall back asleep again, all the time me fighting to stop myself remembering. Eventually, I fell asleep, this time too tired for dreams, which I was thankful for.

I woke up early. I couldn't go back to sleep again even though I was still very tired. I decided to brush my teeth and wash my face, knowing how it had been covered in sweat a few hours ago. I was bored when I was done. It was very early, and Esme and Carlisle probably hadn't woken up yet. It was strange knowing that I was living under the same roof as them, but in a good way. I felt quite bored, having nothing to do. I wanted to keep my mind occupied so I wouldn't have a chance to think about some things.

I remembered the few books that I had noticed on the shelves yesterday. I grabbed all of them and spread them out on my bed to look at them: Shakespeare, Dickens…I didn't feel like reading classical books right now. My hands flopped into my lap frustratingly. I glanced at each book once more, and a title caught me eye.

_Cirque du Freak _by _Darren Shan_

I quickly scanned the blurb at the back cover of the book. One word caught my eye: _Vampire. _I don't know why it made me interested but it just did. I opened the book and started reading, losing myself into it.

**Monday**

I headed downstairs in the morning after getting dressed for school, and was welcomed by a lush, mouth-watering smell which triggered my hollow stomach. I headed to the breakfast room, and found a huge plate of muffins in the centre of the table. Esme, who had just entered the room, smiled warmly at me and nodded for me to eat, which I did. I stifled my groan of satisfactory and grinned at Esme to show her I appreciated it, lips clamped together to keep the food in.

"When you're done and ready to go, there's something I'd like to show you." She said after a few minutes silence. I wasn't sure how to respond to that so went for a simple "Oh."

Later I went outside with Esme to the big garage; she was driving me to school. I followed her into the short building. She looked at me now. "This is your car Edward," and she pointed to a car in the corner. It was a silver Volvo. "Esme, you didn't have to do this. Besides, I can't even drive. It must have been really expensive," I protested. I felt embarrassed that they could give this much to me and I could give little in return. "Edward, it's not illegal to spend a bit of money on someone. We just want to make you feel at home and comfortable. Anyway, I've booked some driving lessons as well, so no worries!" She said brightly.

**Bpov**

I tried to listen to Jessica Chatting excitedly about the upcoming Spring Dance, but failed. "Bella? Hello??? Earth to Bella?" I quickly focused my thoughts on whatever she was talking about. "What?" I asked, feigning interest.

"Were you listening to any of it? Who are you going to ask to the dance? It's girls' choice, remember?" She looked slightly annoyed for not claiming my attention. Inspiration flashed in my mind. "Oh. I don't think I'll ask anyone. I need to do something that day as well…" I trailed off; giving her the impression that it was something I didn't want to talk about, hoping she wouldn't bother me any further. "So you won't be asking Mike?" She beamed, on the rink of bouncing with excitement, reminding me of Alice. I was still shocked. I'd barely talked to Mike. "No, of course not, you can ask him." They noticed my bewildered expression and Angela murmured to Jessica, "I told you."

Blood drained from my face. "What?" My face was a serious one now. They exchanged glances awkwardly and guiltily. "Mike told me that you were interested in him, so he was going to ask you out this week, and told us that you'd already asked him to the Spring Dance. Angela didn't really believe him." Jessica said with a little smirk. Deep down in her eyes, there was something else. I half-glared at her, not amused. "I don't like him _that_ way." I said coldly. Angela helpfully changed the topic. I smiled gratefully at her, regretting being rude. "Anyway, any ideas who _I_ should ask?" She asked expectantly, hoping Jessica would launch into a list of people to ask as she usually did.

Jessica smirked again. "You aren't getting away that easily. What _are_you doing that Saturday?" I changed my face to a serious, unrevealing one, hoping to guilt her into silence for being nosy, so I hoped. "I have to do some things," I replied, looking down uncomfortably. I could only hope that they fell for it. Jessica kept searching. "Does it have anything to do with Masen?" I inwardly groaned. She was never going to give up, was she? My stomach fluttered a little at the mention of Edward's second name. I hoped my previous years of constantly needed acting skills would aid me in fooling her. I raised an eyebrow and sincerely replied "No," pretending to act a bit shocked. I hoped I wasn't overdoing it.

I suddenly got sucked into a memory, a past life, so it seemed. It was long before Alice and Rosalie had found out:

_I sat down cautiously on my seat in the science lab, checking if anyone had put anything nasty there. I always sat at the end of the bench at the front, as far away from anyone as possible and hopefully in the teacher's sight so kids behind me wouldn't be able to pick on me and get away with it so easily. I got my books out. The teacher hadn't arrived yet. I nervously tried to stay invisible, but the ruler of all my tormentors, Sarah Smith, wasn't letting me get away that easily. "Hey ugly duckling! Swotting for the lesson? You should take a break now and then, you know, just as everyone does." I pretended to ignore her, fists clenched. I was too busy controlling my fists from hitting her that I didn't notice her trustworthy sidekick, Michelle Steel come over. Without warning she snatched up my pile of notes on top of my folder. I stood up, trying to snatch them off. "Give it back to me!" I hissed angrily. She smirked, still fighting me off. "Or else…? You'll turn us into ugly ducklings? That's actually not a very nice thought, looking as ugly as you." She pretended to cringe and when my hands loosened she ducked and ripped all my five weeks worth of notes into bits and pieces._

_I just stood there, horror-struck. I reached my hands out to lunge for her but the teacher came in. Miss Richworth screeched in horror at the sight of the ripped pieces on the floor. "Who did this?" She asked, looking between me and Michelle, voice deadly calm. Michelle burst into false tears. I felt like dying right now. Michelle pointed at me. "It-it was _her_. I was just talking to my friends, and all of a sudden she came _flying_ towards me and she snatched up my noted and ripped them all into bits here. I tried to stop her Miss, I honestly did Miss, but I just _couldn't move_, it's like when you're so terrified you don't want to move. I'm so sorry Miss for messing up the classroom, I should've stopped her." I stared at Miss Richworth, pleading her with my eyes to not fall for it. She gazed back at my face steadily, not sure whether to believe it or not , until she looked at my frozen body, hands still reaching out towards Michelle, just when I'd been about to grab her. I stood up straight, knowing it was too late, feeling her gaze puncture my heart._

_"Come outside with me Bella. I followed her reluctantly outside. She turned round so her back was to the door. "This is very unusual behaviour of you, Bella." I glanced behind her through the window in the door and saw Sarah flicking her hair flirtatiously at the boys and pointing towards the door-towards me-and giggling. I glared down at my feet._

_"Is there something wrong at home? Maybe anything to do with your sisters?" She suggested. I almost snorted, but was too upset to. The problem was _here_, right under her nose. "No, Miss." I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. This woman used to be my favourite teacher until now. "Well, that means you have absolutely no excuse for your behaviour just now, and as you should know, your behaviour just now was a form of bullying. You also know that bullying is treated very seriously in this school, so you are going to have after-school detention for a whole week, starting from Monday." I mentally crumbled._

_When the teacher let me go back into the classroom and carry on the lesson, I felt something hit my back gently. I turned around to see a paper aeroplane lying on the floor on the floor. I picked it up. Inside it, in neat pink handwriting:_

Whoops! The ugly duckling's got afterschool! Good thing you didn't say it was me, and you'd better not ever, 'because you'd be in _big_ trouble!

_I knew it was nothing to worry about really; I got these notes all the time, but I still felt the urge to die. I needed some time to myself. I raised my hand weakly. "Yes, Bella?" The teacher asked. I knew I already looked queasy, so I didn't have to act. _

_"I feel sick Miss; can I go to the toilet please?" She nodded, quite concerned._

_"Of course, Bella. Tell me if you have any problems." I thankfully rushed out of the classroom to the girl's toilets. I locked myself in a cubicle and sat on the toilet seat cover, bringing my legs to my chest. I let my tears fall silently, and my sobs were just whispers._

"Bella? What's wrong?" Jessica's voice snapped me back to the present, and saw a concerned Angela and a curious Jessica staring at my, sad, faraway face. I realised my eyes were glassy with unshed tears. I blinked them back. "Nothing." It was an obvious lie, but Jessica kept silent. The bell suddenly rang and I was saved from questions. _Saved by the bell. _I went to first lesson, English.

I had kept those memories locked for a while, not wanting to remember them. I suppose I'd forgotten about it when I was on Edward's case, understanding that his situation was very bad, much much worse than mine had ever been. Even now, knowing how scarred he was, I still felt selfishly sorry for myself. I tried to brighten up a bit, knowing he might be at school today, and if he was, I'd see him in Math, which was next lesson. It did cheer me up. It cheered me up ridiculously unhealthily. At break I found Alice and Rose. They had gotten back together with their boyfriends now. I beamed at them, happy for them. Alice and Rosalie smirked back. What I didn't notice was...

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**_Cliffie!!!!!!!!!!!! Plz review!! Love yooouu peeps!!!_**


	14. Why Everyone But Me?

**_Go on. Kill me again. Sorry for not updating sooner. I just had a bit of writer's block.__

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_Dedicated to I Heart La Roux for the amazing sleepover and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!_

_I've got the remake of the jungle song in my head now!! LOL!!!!_

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_**_13. New Hope_**

**_Why everyone but me?_**

_What I didn't notice was… _

_Edward. He was standing near Alice, Rose and their boyfriends, nervously and self-consciously. "Wow, Edward, I didn't recognize you for a second," I teased jokingly. It was true; his clothes looked much better quality, fresh and clean. Edward himself looked fresh and clean. He looked happy as well, for once. He smiled back. It was a crooked smile. It was the first time I had seen him smile, fully without any troubled eyes or hesitations. His smile sent butterflies to my stomach. Get a grip, will you? I thought to myself, trying to control my feelings. _

_I turned to Alice and Rosalie. "Hi! Don't make me guess, because I already know…" I gestured to their partners with a teasing smile. Alice bounded into my arms. "I know! We got back together!" I rolled my eyes at her enthusiastic ignorance. Sometimes I worried for her health; what if she had endless and endless supplies of sugar. "Alice, I said I already knew." She shrugged her shoulders, not caring. _

_"So…? I still told you." I didn't get a chance to reply because I heard a few pairs of feet behind me. "Hiya Bella!" It was Jessica, with Angela and Mike, eager to meet my infamous sisters. Her eyes went wide as she saw Jasper and Emmet, the most popular boys in the school. _

_I knew she wanted to be introduced. "This is Jessica, Angela and Mike. And these two are Alice and Rosalie, my sisters. Emmet and Jasper are my sisters' boyfriends, and this is my friend Edward." I gestured to each person in turn as I said their names. Mike stared at Rosalie and Alice-especially Rosalie. Emmet glared at him (Mike quickly looked down, embarrassed) and grabbed Rosalie's hand firmly. Jessica was just staring at Emmet and Jasper in insulting amazement. I exchanged a glance with Angela, who was quite surprised about Emmet and Jasper, but at least she didn't overreact. _

_"And you are…?" I snapped my head round to see Jessica staring at Edward now, making me annoyed. "I just introduced him. I thought you knew him anyway. It's Edward. Ring any bells?" I said a bit too harshly. She glanced back at me, rather taken aback at my sudden burst of angriness. I regretted it immediately. I don't know what was wrong with me. "Oh. I just didn't recognise him at first because of the clothes and stuff…" She took a small step away from him, looking slightly disgusted with herself. I remembered how everyone had hated Edward before. Mike gave him a cold glare. Edward sighed and rolled his eyes. I guess he was used to this treatment a lot. I sighed, knowing that his memories must plague him often. _

_"Oh, I need to go now. Need to see a teacher about something…" Mike made an excuse to get away from the awkwardness. Jessica, of course, who would want to follow Mike around anywhere, asked, "Can I come too?" He nodded reluctantly. I gave a small wave to Jessica. "I just noticed: you're a midget." I stared back at Emmet, surprised by his deep, still childish voice before we all laughed, kind of awkwardly. Rosalie poked him gently in the ribs, though I doubt he felt it. Alice looked kind of pleased that she wasn't the only person being called a midget here. _

_"If I'm a midget, then Alice is a miniature dwarf." I smirked at Alice, not letting her off so easily. She glared at me, but it was half-hearted; she was too enthusiastic to be angry today. I knew she probably didn't fully notice it, but Alice had lent slightly back into Jasper's arms, looking very comfortable there. Another pair of footsteps came strolling towards us. It was Ben Cheney. "Hi Jasper, hey Emmet." He was slightly surprised when he saw Rose and Alice. He looked around and smiled at Angela in recognition. "Hey, Angela," Everyone could tell that he liked her too, except Angela herself. She looked down and blushed. "Hi," she replied shyly. _

_"Ben, you can't have Rosalie and Alice here," Emmet said, pointing to my sisters when he said their names. "As they're taken, but of course you can have Angela." Emmet's bluntness caused Ben to blush a dark red and glared at Emmet. I saw that from the corner of my eye Angela was cringing with embarrassment. "I don't think so." Ben snapped back. When he realised what he'd said he blushed a darker shade of red. Emmet smirked at his embarrassment, I but noticed that Angela felt hurt at it, but was trying to hide it. Emmet stopped smiling immediately. _

_"Sorry, I need to go now," Angela said, in her soft, quiet voice. Her eyes looked less dry than usually. "Do you want me to come?" I was desperate to make her feel better, sensing her anguish. She shook her head and walked off, head down. _

_"You'd better talk to her and say sorry," Jasper advised to Ben in his calm, reassuring voice, unlike the nasty one I had heard a few weeks ago. Emmet smirked teasingly. "Shut up, Emmet." Ben snapped. _

_"I didn't say anything!" Emmet gasped, feigning innocence. Ben didn't reply. He had slowly walked to towards where Angela had gone. I crossed my fingers for her, hoping for the best. The bell went promptly, just before there was anymore awkwardness. _

_Maths. I walked towards the Math's department, to my next lesson. I felt a bit jealous, I guessed, as just a day after Alice and Rose started this school, those, Jasper and Emmet were together. They liked each other, and even Angela and Ben liked each other, despite the fact that they were too shy to admit it. Someone tapped my shoulder. "Can I walk with you to Math's?" His voice was too unhealthily familiar, more familiar than my own voice. I nodded at him, unable to speak. I and Edward walked to Math, and when we reached the room, Mike was already there, glaring at Edward as he came in. Edward sighed heavily, holding Mike's glare until Mike the teacher arrived. Edward took his usual seat next to me. The teacher set us tasks to do, but we both soon finished. I attempted conversation. "So…, how are things with Carlisle and Esme?" He smiled again, a heart-stopping smile. _

_"They're really kind, and I've got loads of stuff now. But sometimes things feel a bit too formal, as I've just moved in…" He trailed off. I understood what he meant. _

_"What about you? How are you, really?" I asked, truly concerned. Again he smiled, but this time it was a soft, shy, smile. "I'm quite happy, really. But..." An emotion filled his eyes. It was sadness. And there was also a hint of fear too, hidden deep in his emerald eyes. "What?" I pressed, wanting to know. He sighed. "It's nothing." I gave him a sarcastic look, telling him I wasn't falling for it. He gave up, but not quite. "I'll tell you later." At moment the teacher called for attention, wanting to go through the answers. _

_During the day lots of people stared at Edward and nudged their friends and whispered. _

_"Is he new?" _

_"It's Edward Masen. He must've got up on the right side of bed for once." _

_There also different reactions from quite a few girls: _

_"Wow, Edward Masen's hot." _

_"That new boy is mine, girls. So hands off." _

_"He's not new. That's Edward Masen, the guy who used to dress in rags. But…wow…" _

_"I saw him hanging out with Rosalie and Alice Swan." _

_"It's so unfair; they get all the fit boys." _

_"Sluts." _

_The girl whispering rather loudly about my sisters were behind me. I snapped and spun around, frightening them greatly. "For your information, Alice and Rose are not sluts. They've only had one boyfriend each since they started here, so get your facts right someday, will you? And before, no one liked Edward because he wasn't dressed in designer clothes, then suddenly he's wearing shiny clothes and everyone decides they like him after all." I glared at them coldly. They were all in the same year as me, I realised. The prettiest of their group spoke up. "Well it's your fault for listening. Were you trying to stalk us, like? And why are you, like, calling her 'Rose' as if you know her, like?" _

_I threw an even colder glare at her. "What do you expect me to do when you're yelling your conversation at each other? Pretend I can't hear and tell myself 'Those really loud girls behind me are calling my sisters sluts. They'll think I'm eavesdropping if I tell off them, so I'll take it all in calmly while they literally scream my ears off.' What do you think about that?" She shrunk a bit, staring at me. I mentally triumphed. I felt a bit guilty; I was taking out all the annoyance I'd had from all the gossip on them. The comments I'd heard all day about Edward had really made me lose my patience. I _

_"Are you their sister?" She asked, wide eyed, insultingly surprised. Well, I didn't look anything like Rose and Alice; they were beautiful, and I wasn't. _

_"Let's see: Last name: Swan, parents: Charlie and Renee Swan…" I nodded to myself sarcastically. "Yeah, I think I am their sister, and I might just feel like warning them about you," I threatened, knowing how intimidating Rose and Alice could be. The group of girls flushed and mumbled apologies before scuttling away. I was still standing there. A warm hand that sent electricity through my body grabbed mine. _

_"Let's go, Bella," he said softly. I had just about forgotten that Edward was with me. It was my turn to blush now. I realised that the corridor was almost empty. "We'll be late." I stated, noting the obvious. _

_"Is it alright if I go to my class now, because my teacher's really strict…?" His hand left mine while he said this; pain flashed through me and I instinctively wanted to grab the hand again, but at least I controlled myself there. His hand felt familiar to mine, fitting perfectly, like it was made for it. "Bella?" Edward interrupted my thoughts. I snapped out of it and blushed fiercely, hoping he didn't know what I'd just been thinking. "Oh, erm, of course; I don't want you to get into trouble." _

_We both hurried to our classes, and thankfully the teacher hadn't come in yet, so I wasn't late. I took my seat next to Angela. I remembered something. "How did it go with Ben?", I asked, interested but in a kind way. She beamed brightly at me. "Well, I was walking off to next lesson, but Ben caught up with me to apologise, and he told me that he…liked me." I smiled for her, pleased. "Then I actually had the guts to ask him to the dance!" I congratulated her but was interrupted by the German teacher coming in. "Guten Abend, Klasse." _

_"Guten Abend, Frau Huppertz," the class droned, the usual routine. _

_"Wie geht's?" She asked. _

_"Mir geht's gut, danke," we replied, sounding like a flock of sheep baaing, reciting the same conversation to start off the lesson like we had done since our first German lesson in year eight. And so the class began. For me, the lesson flew by, as I thought of the eventful day. _

_I and Angela walked in a comfortable silence to our next lesson, Biology. We were on the way to becoming fast friends, I hoped. This lesson also flew by. _

_I got into our Mercedes. Alice and Rosalie were already there, grinning so hard it almost touched their ears. "I'm really scared now," I said. It was true. It was totally unnatural of them to grin like that. Rosalie burst out laughing, and caused Alice to as well. Alice suddenly broke off her laughter to tell me something. "Dad just called us to tell us to come home quickly, because we need to get ready to go to Edward's new house for tea." I smiled lightly, hoping it would hide most of my excitement. Of course my sisters weren't fooled, and just gave me a look and didn't say anything. We drove the rest of the way home silently. _

_Charlie's police car was already on the driveway, so he was home. We entered the house to find Charlie standing waiting for us. "Please get changed quickly, because we're going to the Cullens' house at half five. It was going to be at half past four, but I know how some of you-" he glanced at Alice, who was pretending to listen intently with innocent eyes. "-like to dress up taking the longest possible time, so I gave you an extra hour. Now scoot." It took a few seconds for the fact that Charlie was saying 'scoot' to sink in before we went upstairs. Well, Alice bounced upstairs, jumping at the chance to play the dressing up game. _

_I mentally prepared for the torture she was going to put me through. I was right; she was already in my bedroom going through my wardrobe. She groaned, annoyed. "You have no clothes in here!" I rolled my eyes at her back. _

_"Please don't do this to me again, Alice," I begged, knowing that it was a waste of breath. _

_As I expected, she ignored me, still rummaging through my wardrobe. "This will do I suppose..." She took a sapphire blue turtle neck top out and then threw them at me. "Try these." She ordered mercilessly. I took the clothes and obeyed her. I didn't remember seeing these clothes before. Well, since how before we moved here Alice dragged me on a shopping trip every weekend, I had so many clothes that I didn't bother trying to remember them. They fitted perfectly well. Goth purple had always been my favourite colour. _

_"Looks great!" Alice beamed, pleased. She threw a pair of black trousers at me. She beamed again. I looked in the full length mirror in my bedroom. This was now my favourite outfit. "C'mon! Make up, now!" I stared at Alice, horrified. She glared at me, showing she was serious. I glared at her back, showing her I was serious too. "It's only a dinner, Alice. Food would spoil it. And you have to get ready as well. Knowing me, I'd trip and land in the sea." Hearing the last sentence, Alice actually stopped to consider this very carefully and seriously. Everyone knew how I was all but disabled. _

_She proceeded to explain. I wasn't going to go through this any longer. I got up slowly, walked towards her then slowly pushed her out of my room, ignoring her protests. "I am not getting makeup done by you, Alice. Please let me have my own way for once, Alice. Please." She started to play the pout trick on me again. I slammed the door before the trick worked on me. I smiled triumphantly. _

_I was now free to apply make-up the way I wanted. I just lightly applied some lip gloss. I felt a bit guilty for being so moody today. I didn't know what was wrong today. When I kept hearing those comments about Edward, a strange feeling flashed through me. It was like pain and anger mixed together. I thought about how Alice and Rose had got together with their present boyfriends so quickly, only on the second day. Why couldn't it happen to me? The answer was too obvious. No one could ever like me that way. I was plain-nothing special to look at. _

_I stayed in m room until it was time to go. I wasn't looking forward to seeing Alice's sad face. When I got downstairs, Alice was talking excitedly to Rosalie, and they shut up when I came in. Alice seemed to have forgotten all about me refusing her. To her, no one said no to her. If they did she always got them back somehow-but not by hurting them, of course, she may be the devil, but she wasn't nasty and horrible like…some people…which was a lot of people. _

_We were all silent the whole car ride apart from just before we arrived at the Cullens', Renée instructing us to behave. We nodded silently, and I nervously fiddled with my hands. Carlisle greeted us warmly into his home. The dinner was silent apart from adults discussing things and formal. "Do you like it here, Edward?" My father suddenly asked. Edward looked up, surprised at being talked to. "Yeah, of course. It's great here." _

_After dinner, Carlisle asked Edward to give us girls a tour of the house. Edward willingly did so. Alice went to check out a room with a massive wardrobe, and took Rose with her, leaving me with Edward. Now I could ask. "Is it later yet, Edward?" He sighed. _

_"I suppose it is." He led me to his room so we could talk more comfortably.

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_**Translations:** _

_'Guten Abend, Klasse'=Good afternoon, class _

_'Guten Abend, Frau Huppertz'=Good afternoon, Miss Huppertz _

_'Wie geht's?'=How are you? _

_'Mir geht's gut, danke'=I am good, thank you.

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**_Beware!!! Lots of things happening after about five to ten chapters!!!!_**


	15. Journey to Recovery

**_Howdy all. Before you kill me, let me explain first. My computer has a virus, so I couldn't go on it so much, and I decided to take a three week break to do other things. I also needed more inspiration and ideas, so therefore I had to read, because as we all know, reading is the key to the perfect idea. I knew what's going to happen but I couldn't write it down so it sounded good, so it took me a while. I'm extremely sorry and fell free to torture and kill me. I don't mind. And something happened...oh yeah, and I have loadsa end of term tests coming..._****

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**14. New Hope**

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**The Journey to Recovery**

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_Now I could ask. "Is it__ later yet, Edward?" He sighed._

"_I suppose it is." He led me to his room so we could talk more comfortably._

**Bpov**

We sat on his bed, and I waited quietly for him to talk. I had to get him to talk, though. "What's wrong? How are you feeling?" I asked gently.

He looked at me, frustrated with himself. "How can I describe how I feel? _Every_ night, it comes back. Nightmares _every night_. How can I describe to you how I feel, waking up sweating, and not being able to sleep anymore? I was so stupid, thinking I could forget about everything after just a day. How could that be possible? How could I just forget _everything_ that happened in the last seventeen years? All the memories of what everyone did to me, at _home_-" at this word his voice twisted in disgust. "-and at school?" I let him calm down for a few minutes.

"I think I have a bit of an idea about the school part. I know at least a bit of how you feel, Edward," I said quietly, looking down.

"How can you know even _a little_ of how I feel? You think you're suffering, maybe because of a few broken relationships, or moving away from where you grew up and all that." He replied harshly. I flinched at the tone of his voice.

"I don't think that, Edward. I meant that…I may have had a very, very little experience of the school bit. It was horrible, I'll tell you that." I said the last sentence very quietly, then gave a dry laugh. I took a quick glance at Edward, hoping he wouldn't have the same reaction as a few seconds ago. He didn't, which gave me the courage to look at him. He was staring at me, looking a bit shocked. "You…?" He was unable to finish the sentence for some reason. I knew what he meant though, and nodded. He apologised. "I'm sorry." It was quiet again before I had an idea.

But I knew he wouldn't like it one bit. "Edward?" I asked, and Edward looked up, curious by my tone of voice. "Yeah?" I bit my lip, pausing for a few seconds, wondering about what his reaction would be. "I really want to help you feel better, and please don't hate me for suggesting this, but…" I looked at Edward, to see if he understood yet. He didn't. It came out in a rush. "You could see a d-doctor?" It came out like a question as well.

His reply was hard and cold. "No." I bit my lips and looked down again.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," I whispered. Another thought struck me. This time I was firm. "I know. Edward. Tell me. Tell me everything. I'll listen and I'll try to understand." He looked at me incredulously. "Because it's either that or the doctor. I'm not letting you try to deal with it on your own."

"No, it's alright…I don't want to. I don't need to." There was a reason why hidden deep in his eyes; a determined, fiery secret, protected so much more than he seemed to care for himself. I reluctantly tore my eyes away from his. I started again gently, almost hesitantly.

"You don't have to explain maybe why things happened; just tell me everything from the start. You'll feel better not having it all to yourself. I'll just listen and no questions. Or you could tell someone else; I wouldn't mind. Wither that or the therapist. Sorry, I just don't think you can live the rest of your life without nightmares every night without help from anyone else. I won't think differently of you, I'll just listen, that's all. Please?"

He sighed heavily. "Okay. It's just to shut you up, by the way." I rolled my eyes. "_And_ because I don't want to be anywhere near a…a…_doctor_ like that." He cringed when he was forced to use that word. "Another thing. We need to plan when the _listening_sessions will be." I looked at him seriously. "And you should tell Carlisle and Esme."

"Okay, I'll tell them. We'll call each other and ask when we've got time. Personally, I don't think we can have the first session now, so we can call each other to meet up." I agreed with him, and surprised he was being so organised all of a sudden. "Do you have a mobile phone?" He flashed a smile at me-the same heart-stopping one from this morning-and grabbed a small object off his desk. It was a new phone, one which many people had lusted for lately. We exchanged phone numbers and it was soon time for me to leave.

**Epov**

As we exchanged goodbyes I kept cursing myself mentally. Why had I let that girl talk me into telling her everything? I couldn't do that. I'd promised myself no one would ever know. I would hide as much as I could, then. I was sick of having to lie all the time, but this time it was necessary. Completely necessary.

I helped Esme clear up the dining table and thought of how I was going to tell them. We had decided that Bella would tell her parents, and I would tell mine. I finished clearing the table. There was nothing else to do. I hovered around the kitchen, unsure of how to start. Esme stopped what she had been doing and looked at me. "What is it, Edward?" Her eyes were curious and concerned. "Esme," I began, "I'd like to tell you and Carlisle something, but at the same time. Is that possible right now?" Her forehead creased slightly with concern.

"Of course it's possible. You go up to Carlisle's office and I'll come up right after I finish putting these dishes and stuff in the dishwasher." I thanked her and made my way up to Carlisle's office and knocked. "Come in," He called. He saw me and took his attention off his work and turned towards me. "What is it?"

"I need to tell you and Esme something, and I told Esme the same I just told you, and she's coming up in a minute." Just after I said this, Esme knocked and came in. Carlisle smiled at her warmly, and turned back to me. "So, what is it?" He looked concerned as well. It all spilled out. The nightmares. I told him about one nightmare I had a lot but not the most common one. "…and then I told Bella most of this, and she wanted to help me..." After I finished explaining, Carlisle exchanged looks with Esme. He turned back to me.

"Okay. Talking to someone you know would help you, and because you know Bella better than most, you will find it easier to talk about it." I thanked him. He waved it away. "We're just doing our best to help you." I was touched by his words. These two people were much more than my own real parents could ever be. I mentally cringed. I had almost managed to control the shudders and cringing when I thought of those two people.

**The First Meeting**

I clenched my fist in nervousness as I waited for Bella to arrive at my house. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep the secret forever, lying to everyone's faces all the time, but I would try as hard as I could.

**Bpov**

Edward was sat on his bed when I entered his bedroom. I sat on it as well and crossed my legs. There was a short silence before Edward broke it. "Are you sure you want to know?" I gazed back into his eyes steadily.

"Yes."

"Then, well..." He struggled to start.

"Just start from the beginning, from when you first remember. You don't have to describe everything, just tell me what happened." He relaxed very slightly at my words.

He took a few deep breaths before beginning. "H-he didn't hurt me to begin with, and I remember when I was about five they would go to the pub a lot at night. He got very drunk once, and that's when he first beat me up." I struggled to keep my face encoraging and showing no shock. _Five years old?_ Edward carried on. "He only beat me up when he was badly drunk, but then he just started doing that whenever he came home from the pub, even if he wasn't very drunk. In the morning he used to be a bit sorry for doing that, but half blamed me for not getting out of the way. Elizabeth...she only tried to stop him when he was very, very badly drunk, but gave up a few months later. If I cried she slapped me. One little mistake and she'd hit me. Soon Anthony just started hitting me whenever he liked, when I was about seven.

Elizabeth didn't hit me as often and as hard. I didn't completely hate her for doing this to me." I stared in disbelief at him. "I heard Anthony yelling at Elizabeth one night then hit her around a bit as well, and then after that she just hit me. She killed her heart and wasn't the mother I'd had before, who had been at least willing enough to help me through the first few years of my life. I was given a few new clothes every year, so no one was too suspicious. I think one was though, our next door neighbour in the state we lived in before we moved here. After a while...Anthony noticed that then moved us here..."

I could tell he had edited a bit but I didn't accuse him of his editing. Maybe he would tell someone someday whatever he was hiding. I'd known that he had been hiding something for a while. I grit my teeth behind my lips as I listened, not wanting to show how disgusted I was with how... much _some_ people had hated him.

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From then on I came to Edward's house twice a week for the sessions. By now I had mastered the art of keeping my expression controlled, not giving away the horror and disbelief I felt while listening to Edward, and also the art of making the shudders stay inside my body.

Through sharing his life with me, I knew him so well I suffered myself knowing how much he had suffered and was still suffering through memories. By now I had almost convinced him not to worry about how scared and horrified I might be. He didn't always tell his life in chronological order and I found out about more recent events, after I had arrived here. I felt guilty somehow for not realising before, so I could have tried to put a stop to it. I had a nightmare after the day Edward told me about his so called 'mother' and an incident to do with sharp nails. But my nightmares weren't fear of it happening to myself. It was the fear of watching Edward in pain like that, helpless with no control.

I always dreamt about his face while he was in that life, face screwed up with pain, anger and sick but not making a sound, being brave as he always was. And then the piling beatings, the cackles of heartless people, the healing bones being broken again and the silence, the dreadful silence. Of course I didn't tell him, not wanting him to feel guilty for telling me all this stuff and being the cause of my sleepless nights. I didn't tell anyone. I think Alice knew though, for her room was next door to mine and she could probably hear the very quiet, muffled screams when I woke up.

Once or twice I tried medicine that would knock me out for a good eight hours withouts dreams of any sort, but I didn't want to take it too often for obvious reasons. The nightmares weren't every night. But when I had them, it was terrifying. I knew Edward's was worse, and I could only try to imagine them.

But it wasn't only horror I had to endure through these sessions. It was when I touched him, fire shot through my body, raging. I couldn't tell if Edward felt that too. I was careful not to accidently brush my arm or something against him now. I wasn't sure how much more of the raging desire I had to touch him I could endure. But I would try as hard as I could, for Edward.

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**_The edit document thingy on 'Publish' in my fanfic account won't let me underline things or let me make anything printed in the middle. Of course, while I'm editing it it can, but soon as I hit the 'Save' button, everything's all on the left and nothing underlined...anyone know what to do? Maybe a bit of ExB in the next few chapters!

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**_Review!!!!!!!! And happy Easter!!!!!!!!_**

**_Love from the Easter Bunny._**

**_P.S.: I'm delivering more eggs to all my readers for their patience!!!!!!!!_**


	16. Amy Greene

_**Hello again. This time I took, I know, as my computer's virus wouldn't let me even switch on the computer. Thankfully I just saved the documents. Please forgive me someday. Aah! Who threw that tomato?**_

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_**Dedicated to Eminnis and Alicia for being great fans and sticking to this story all the way through, proving to me that not every word written here is not there for nothing. Thanks so much guys! A preview for you!!!**_

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**15. New Hope**

**Amy Greene**

Epov

I'd managed to shorten the meetings to once a week, because of driving lessons. And I was thankful that every time Bella came I didn't always have to talk about _my_ history. Bella told me a lot about her life...mainly because I kept asking questions. And now I was waiting for her to arrive. At school the excitement had diminished and everyone realised I wasn't a new pupil, just the same Edward from before. The same scruffy, anti social Edward. Except I wasn't. I was getting along much better with Emmet and Jasper nowadays, and they seemed glad I was able to forget the past with them.

Emmet was loud and funny and easy to get along with when I knew him better, and Jasper was the one who could control Emmet. Jasper was quiet and calm, much unlike the person I'd 'known' from past years. It was so strange, almost scary about how different people could be depending on whether you were in their...good books or not. I mentally smiled at the 'good books' bit.

Bella hadn't arrived yet, so I went out to the back garden and read for a bit. Ten minutes later, I heard a car. I watched Bella walk up to the door as a little plan formed in my head. I snuck up behind her and poked her sides then covered her eyes with my hand.

Bpov

Just before going out to Edward's house Alice came to me. "Bella?"

"What?" I looked at her suspiciously.

"We all know how you don't realise who are girls and who are girls except Edward." My heart began fluttering slightly at the mention of his name, and my face warmed up slightly. I replied with a stare.

"Well, you need to both face up to him and tell him how you feel or just get over him. He likes you too, he's just too shy and inexperienced in that area to stop being a jerk and admit that he _lurves_ you too." I knew she couldn't last a whole two sentences being sensible. My face darkened a shade of pink and I glared at her, quite unsuccessfully because of my stupid blush. "I have no idea what the hell you're talking about, Alice." I turned around and marched downstairs.

"Oh, and Bella?" I halted and turned slightly towards her.

"You really should stop hurting yourself." I didn't reply and I walked out of the house to the car. What had she meant? I tried not to think about it, afraid that I actually _did _knew exactly what she'd meant.

I drove along the now familiar road to Edward's house. Oh, how could I deny the fact that my heart fluttered with excitement when I was going to see Edward. At school the excitement of the new, good-looking Edward had died out, but my insides still clenched in jealousy when any girl looked appreciatively at him. Quite a few people pretended to bump into Edward at school when I was talking to him, just to get a better look at him.

I went to the door and prepared to knock, just when someone poked me in my sides, which made me jump, then covered my eyes. I wasn't sure why, but I was one hundred percent sure that this was Edward. It could have been a mad axe murderer, but I knew it wasn't. Unless Edward was a mad axe murderer and led a double life. I mentally rolled my eyes and smiled. "Hello to you too, Edward," I could see again as he uncovered my eyes.

My skin tingled from Edward's touch and it took me a while before I realised that Edward was leading me to his back garden. "What ever happened to the room we agreed on?" I asked. He rolled his eyes.

"We're not vampires, Bella. It's not a crime or a death sentence to go outside. It's March, so I'm sure we won't die of hypothermia." March.

"I hope we haven't neglected our friends at school." It seemed like a lifetime ago when I had been talking about the spring dance with Jessica and Angela. Since then I hadn't talked to Jessica that much, or anyone else really-after the 'Edward business'. We sat down on the garden table, opposite each other.

"Actually, your friends not mine." I rolled my eyes at him. "And I think you should talk to them a bit more." His polite way of saying I was ignoring them.

"Ok. So." He knew what I was getting at. Therapy time, he once said jokingly.

"Bella? Can you tell me about yourself?" I laughed quietly.

"I think you already know everything about me."

"I know, but...will you tell me about your school?" I kept my expression the same, but my insides froze and I looked down. "I know it must be unfair, but...I just want to know. Please?"

I sighed, looking up again. "Ok. What first?" It was fair, I supposed. Edward was telling me everything-I hoped-of what he'd tried to hide his whole life, so it was only fair that I tell him some of mine. "Tell me about…the worst bully you had." _Her._ But I'd just promised. So…

"Her name was…Amelia Greene. That was her full name." He looked at me oddly, with an unrecognisable emotion hiding in his eyes.

"What?" He shook his head.

"It's nothing. Carry on. What was she like? What did she look like?" The last question was a bit odd, but I answered anyway.

"Everyone called her Amy," I continued, staring at Edward. His shoulders relaxed very slightly, which suspiciously looked like relief. "She had beautiful red hair, and dark green eyes. She was quite pale. Last time I saw her, she was eighteen. She joined my school when she was about 15. At first, she acted like a complete loner, avoiding everyone as much as she could. But one day she started dressing up in these really expensive clothes, and she made friends with the popular lot. Before I hadn't been bullied that badly, but she made my life terrible. She loved to say anything bad about my sisters, and my friend-before she moved to another school-supported me and said she was just jealous as she had no brothers or sisters." I smiled at this. I missed Annabelle. She had fine black hair that reached her hips and dark eyes that seemed to know everything. "She found every chance possible to ruin my life for me, but I sometimes wondered about her. Her eyes were just full of anger and hatred, and pain. And I was never sure if that was directed at me or not." Whoa, that definitely reminded me of someone.

I glanced at Edward again. He was staring at me again strangely. "One day she pushed me really roughly into a school toilet cubicle-and locked me in, pushing something in front of the door so I couldn't get out. She pushed me much harder than I thought capable of a girl, even though she dressed like one of those girls who couldn't lift a football off the ground. A few hours later, Rosalie came in and heard me crying quietly; she let me out and told Alice. They made me tell me what had happened and got really angry and charged out, ready to kill." Edward had a look of badly hidden anger on his face, an exact mirror of…something I couldn't think of just yet.

"What surprised me most was Rosalie though. Before she had just been really quiet and cold and vain to the rest of the world, keeping away from everyone as much as she could, still confident. And then when Amy pushed me, she just completely lashed out. She hadn't even liked me that much before." I remembered watching Rosalie's furious face, 'talking' to Amy, and loads of people watching. Alice had been there as well, furious, but putting on an 'angry little kid' expression on, winning the sympathy of many people. Particularly boys.

Then Amy had slapped Rosalie, which was the wrong thing to do, because many boys-and girls turned against her, boys because Rosalie was the most beautiful girl they had ever met, so were afraid to get into her bad books, girls because from what they had found out, Rosalie had done no wrong. Amy never came to our school ever again. Amazingly, no teachers found out about the incident, so Amy wasn't expelled in any way. Amy's friends were given a choice. Lose their popularity or surrender to their rivals.

I became the talk of the week, and people who had never even noticed me before came up to me, smiled and said, "That Amy girl must have been so horrible to you." When that had happened I began wondering what exactly people were hearing. I had once overheard someone informing their friend one version of the bullying. "Apparently she beat Bella up once so horribly that she had to stay in hospital for a night." I had no idea where that rumour came from, but I didn't bother stopping it, knowing that something else would come up and everyone would talk about that instead. "What happened to Amy?" A voice broke my thoughts. "Oh, she just disappeared and never came back to school again. She must have moved somewhere else," I replied, staring into Edward's eyes. The wind fluttered around me. "Bella." Edward whispered my name, staring back at me. My heart hammered in my chest. A question I'd asked myself for ages since I had first met Edward raced through my mind now. _Does he like me like I…like him?_

What ever I had been expecting, I'm not sure it was this. "…We _are_ friends, aren't we?" I nodded. "..Can we be…you know…like best friends?" I looked down, and hope flooded out of me. It felt even worse that not having any hope at all. I studied the swirly patterns of the table. "Edward, I-I don't think I can do this anymore." My voice came out slightly croaky, and tears blocked my throat. "Please understand. You're great and brilliant. But I just _can't_ do this anymore." The last words came out in a rush. I glanced back up slightly at Edward, who looked very hurt but confused. Well, I thought drily. At least I had learnt something new. Alice was right, and I now understood what she had said. I had to stop hurting myself. What Alice was wrong about, was the fact that he liked me.

"What do you mean?" Edward struggled to keep hurt out of his voice. How was I suppose to say this? 'Guess what, it's because I'm in love with you and Alice told me not to hurt myself anymore so I can't bear the pain of just being best friends'?

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_**Sorry for the short chaper, I thought you would want me to update quicker, so I've left the next bit as a cliffhanger.**_


	17. Loved

**16. New Hope**

**Loved**

Epov

The pain of rejection hit with a force I had forced to stop myself feeling years ago. This girl had brought back feelings I had never thought possible for me anymore. I knew it sounded selfish but…"What do you mean?" I struggled to stop myself from the urge to get down and beg on one knee for her to stop looking so terribly upset. She looked down, looking too embarrassed to say anything.

I moved and sat next to her. We were silent for a few minutes. Finally, she spoke.

"I-it's like…, if you hurt me badly on purpose, I would forgive you as soon as you did it, even if I wanted to hate you. I just couldn't."

As she spoke, I looked up, amazed. "And I…when you touch me," she lightly brushed my arm on the table with her finger, wondering. Electricity pulsed. "The feeling…it's so strange, so new to me, every time…" I understood what she was saying. But what was it? Was it what I had suspected in the back of my mind?

She looked up at me, and then looked back down, biting a lip, looking very embarrassed. "I-I'm sorry. I'll get over it. It's just a little crush." Blood rose to her cheeks and pulsed. This was all the confirmation I needed."

"Bella, look up," I ordered in a gentle tone. She obeyed, rising her head slowly. I dived forward, but somehow gently, and my lips were on hers. It took her a few seconds to respond but when she did it felt like the most natural thing in the world. A raindrop that landed on the back my neck caused us to reluctantly pull away. I looked up to see a storm brewing and looked at her. _Bella_.

_Edward._ I could feel her thinking that. It was like we had a psychic link now.

I smiled at her one with barely any pain behind it this time.

"C'mon. Let's go in." I led the way through to the back door.

Esme was in the living room, reading a book. I grabbed Bella's hand. "Guess what, Esme?" I held up our hands. She turned round, smiling in greeting, but her face lighting up much more at seeing our fingers entwined with each other. Esme's face was of sheer, pure joy.

"That's great, Edward. Congratulations! I smiled more brightly, and Bella was smiling as well but with a slight twinge of embarrassment. She looked at her watch then and then glanced at me meaningfully. I sighed. The last five minutes had been the best in my life. Did she really have to go now?

Resolved, Bella reluctantly spoke. "Sorry, I have to get going now; my parents wanted me back in time for dinner." Esme's face filled with understanding and motherly love. "Of course you can go, Bella."

So she headed out in the rain towards her car. After I pressed my lips to hers in farewell. I shut the door and turned to Esme, whose face was still beaming in delight. "I'm so happy for you, Edward!"

"Thanks, Esme," I smiled.

Later, after Bella had left, after I'd had dinner, I decided to do this meaningless thing on my computer. I went on the internet and accessed my favourite search engine. Hesitantly I typed in four words. _Amelia Greene, Phoenix High_. (I remembered Bella telling me the name of her old school.) I wasn't sure why it bothered me so much when Bella told me about her, but I just felt the need to know what became of her.

I sifted through a few pages of results before finding a promising website. It was a newspaper website that was about local schools in Phoenix.

**_Guilty Teen Runs Off_**

_Last week, at Phoenix High, eighteen-year-old Amelia Greene (also known as Amy to her friends), disappeared from school without warning after her abusive behaviour had been revealed to fellow students and teachers of her school._

_Amy had heartlessly been bullying other students physically and verbally, making lives a misery, without others knowing. On Tuesday 1st November, she denied any abusive behaviour when confronted by friends of a victim. After that day, she was never seen again in that school and teachers did not find out about any of her behaviour until the day after she was confronted by two brave students._

_Later the authorities attempted contacting her single parent, Shauna Greene and succeeded after a few tries. Shauna only informed them that Amy was not going to attend Phoenix High anymore and that Amy was recovering from a serious illness. The authorities were surprised to find that the place she was contacted in was in County Durham, England._

_When asked later, Mrs. Lowes, the head teacher, said, "Amy has always been seen as very bright and well loved, but we have been having concerns about the many behaviour changes she has had since arriving at this school. I am very disappointed in the final result and I have no doubt that her sudden move was an act of guilt. I still hope that she will change her ways and make the most of her future."_

_One of the two that confronted her, an eighteen-year-old blonde called Rosalie Swan, late said, "I'm still furious at Amy for doing that to my friend, her main victim. No one deserves to be treated like that, which I understand very well."_

There wasn't much else after that. Bella was right; Rosalie's behaviour had been the most surprising. In the back of my mind there was still something nagging me. I tried to ignore it, but failed terribly. I printed the article out, wondering what to do with it. I decided to call Bella, hoping she wouldn't think that I was being weird looking up something nothing to do with me. _Shauna…_that sounded familiar, but from where?

Someone answered on the third ring. "Hello?" It was Rosalie in her bored voice.

"It's Edward, and I have to ask Bella something," I wondered how I was going to tell her.

"'Kay, I'll go get her," she then added in a more teasing voice, "She told us about you and her, you know. She's over the moon about it." I smiled, but a thought suddenly came to me.

"No, wait Rosalie, don't get her yet, I need to ask you something." This might be interesting.

She suddenly sounded wary. "What?" I explained about what Bella had told me about Amy Greene, sensing Rosalie stiffening at the other end of the line, and how I had looked it up on the internet and found that article.

"And…at the end I found that thing you said, and what exactly did you mean by the last few words?" I spoke hesitantly, hoping she wouldn't get annoyed and act like typical Rosalie.

"I'm sorry, but I have to gain your trust first. That will take a while. It took me ages before I could tell Bella…" Her voice had an edge of cold sweetness to it.

I nodded, trying to understand, even though she wouldn't be able to see me nodding.

"It's alright Rosalie. And why have you said in the article that Bella was just your friend?" I could hear her smile.

"I told them she was my sister, proved it to them, but they wouldn't believe it. I didn't bother telling them that I was adopted; why would I just hand out information like that randomly?" Now I was really surprised. Rosalie, unselfish, kind and loyal? I had never thought that Rosalie could be so lovely. "Wow," I breathed.

"What?" Rosalie's voice was suddenly sharp. I hoped my words didn't offend her.

"Emmet has really done you a lot of good." I heard her scoff and imagined her rolling her eyes.

"Whatever, Edward. And listen, Edward, if you do _anything_ to Bella you are in _big trouble_, and I can guarantee you will be scarred for all of eternity by it." I took it seriously.

"I never would, and I would do the job myself if I ever did," I promised. I added, in a more sarcastic voice, "And I'm already scarred for the rest of eternity anyway." My fists clenched, out of habit.

Her voice became suddenly softer. Oh, I hated it when people did that. I didn't deserve sympathy. "I'm really, really sorry about that, Edward. But that won't excuse you from doing anything to Bella…" she seemed to want to say something else but decided not to. "Well, see ya."

"Bye," I replied, almost hesitantly.

Well, that did a great deal of help. Asking Rosalie only brought up more questions. Why was I investigating Bella's life anyway? That wasn't fair on her, since she was doing so much for me. I sighed. I'd had a brilliant day today. Why spoil it? I went to bed.

**Bpov**

I was ecstatic. I was guilty for rolling my eyes at Alice when she was a bouncy happy bunny when she'd got together with Jasper, so I allowed her to tease me a little.

The next morning, Monday, I headed off to school in the Mercedes, Alice in the front passenger seat and Rosalie in the back. Alice was worried about Jasper. She had felt that something had happened, and was worrying terribly about it. I and Rosalie knew she wasn't mad (well, we usually still had doubts), but she didn't have these feelings often. But she had proved a few times that she didn't make this up, so we believed her. Kind of.

Once when this had happened, was when I was just about to get bullied terribly-the change from isolated, Amelia Greene to towering, intimidating Amy. She had fretted over me and tried to watch over me but never found out until ages later, of course. It was strange how she already had a 'psychic' link between her and Jasper so quickly. We all knew that Jasper was the 'one' for her.

I had a particular goal today-to apologise to Jess for neglecting her a bit during the past few weeks, when I had started hanging out with Edward instead. Angela sat with me, with Ben loyal at her side, but I never saw Jessica except in class. In class she ignored me, occasionally glaring, making me feel guilty. We had English together first period, so I could catch her at the end of the lesson.

I was driving really slowly, much to Alice's annoyance, and arrived just as the bell went. I hurried off to English in the opposite direction from my sisters. She sat in front of me in that lesson.

At the end of the lesson I headed out. "Jessica!" I called. She turned around.

"Hey, Bella."

"Listen, I'm sorry, I've been ignoring you so much." She gave me a strange look. And sighed. "Okay." She stayed where she was, as she saw Edward approaching towards me. Her face lifted up a bit, and I knew why that was. Waves of a hostility jolted through me to Jessica.

"Hi Bella, hi Jessica. You alright?" My heart leapt and I smiled warmly at him.

"Hi! I'm great," _Well,_ I thought, _now I am._

"And you, Jessica?" His voice was smooth, and I was so glad that barely any sadness lurked behind it.

"Me? I-I'm good." Jess stuttered. He had that effect people now, because they had all been used to making fun and bullying him, and now it turned out he was very good looking, so people weren't sure of how to react to him now.

We walked to the canteen together, and headed to where my sisters and Angela and their boyfriends were. Four lovely couples at a table now. I inwardly rolled my eyes. I was hyper aware that Edward was standing right next to me, our arms touching. Before we had always walked with inches of space between us.

Angela looked up and greeted us, Ben Cheney following her. She had a teasing look in her eyes and glanced at Edward then back to me. I wasn't surprised, Alice would have already told her, but I smiled with a blush on my cheek nevertheless.

I sat down and noticed that something was a bit wrong. Alice was looking worried and troubled, Jasper sitting calmly with something hidden in his eyes that I couldn't see. Rosalie was acting in the same way as Jasper, with Emmet sitting next to her looking very slightly tense, not quite his usual joking and relaxed self. This was to do with…'the 'reason' why Emmet and Jasper beat Edward up so long ago'. I mentally cringed at the image of Edward when I had found him all those months ago. It seemed so far away, now, like a past life.

I stared meaningfully at Alice as I sat down. "You alright, Alice?" She nodded and returned my look with something that said 'later'. She knew by watching me look at Emmet and Rosalie that I knew what the reason was based on. Angela broke our little 'mental' conversation. "I know, she's been acting all nervous and everything since she sat down on the table.

The table was almost full now, with only one seat to spare. Hopefully Mike would forgive me, and I had math with him and Edward next. My stomach fluttered at being with Edward in the next lesson, even though he was sitting next to me right now. I still couldn't believe my luck…my thoughts suddenly flickered back to Edward's secret. Did he really think he hid it so well, or maybe it was only me that could notice it? I couldn't help feeling very slightly hurt sometimes that he didn't tell me, but they were selfish thoughts and I pushed them away.

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_**Extremely sorry, but this time there is a worthwhile excuse for the very slow update, which I am not comfortable saying here, but if you're really really annoyed with me review and I'll tell you. **_

_**The reason stopped me from being able to write at all, and it took me a while to begin writing again. If that 'thing' hadn't happened, I would have updated last month, and I am extremely sorry, as this is the bit you've all been waiting for.**_


	18. Family

**17. New Hope**

**Family**

**Epov**

I was glad Bella had got her friends all back, including Mike; she had neglected them when she was worried about me. Mike didn't treat me like a piece of dirt anymore, but he tried not to talk to me either. I felt a feeling surge through my body like fire when I noticed him eyeing Bella in particular ways sometimes. I finally recognised this as jealousy.

Of course, he would be better for Bella than me; I was sure my previous torturing life had not fully ended yet, and every second I stayed near Bella was a danger to her. I knew this in the back of my mind, but I ignored it. Would it hurt to just be happy for a while? Was it so selfish to want happiness?

The doorbell rang from downstairs, and I reluctantly slid off my bed to trudge out and see who it was. It wasn't Bella, since she was supposed to be revising for an exam.

Carlisle and Esme warmly greeted the visitors. I didn't recognise them, so stayed near the back of the hallway, unsure. Esme waved me over, and I walked to them. The visitors were four women. Carlisle introduced me to them. "These are our cousins, Sasha, Tanya, Irina and Kate, the Denali's. And this is our adopted son, Edward." He pointed them out. I remembered Carlisle mentioning them, but I hadn't been paying much attention. I quickly looked at them, each one of them. The visitors were all very beautiful. Sasha was the oldest, the mother.

Sasha was a brilliant white blonde, with unreadable sapphire eyes. Tanya had curly blonde hair, and the typical blue eyes that usually went with blonde hair.

Irina had chin length shiny blonde hair, and she seemed to radiate with warmth as she smiled, reaching her wide violet eyes. She was quite short, a head shorter than my six foot.

Kate had long dark hair. I knew just by looking at her tall, medium figure and her piercing eyes (also violet, I noticed) that she wasn't to be messed around with, the kind of girl that wouldn't be afraid to kick some butt if she had to. The four of them each looked completely different, but at the same time, similar.

They were each extremely beautiful in their own way, but none of them could compare to the Swan sisters. Especially one very special sister. Apart from Bella, Rosalie was the most beautiful living human being I had ever met, and she wasn't even self-obsessed and bitchy and vain like many girls who thought they were beautiful were. Well, sometimes she wasn't…

I automatically mentally cringed when I notice that I'd used 'living'. I was getting slightly better, though, I thought. I owed Bella my life. But I should tell her the truth. It was the least I could do. _I _will_ tell her,_ I thought. _Next week at the latest._

Before Carlisle and Esme could see my eyes (they knew me too well now, so they could see in my eyes when I was kind of 'reminded' of the past) I smiled at the guests and put away the seriousness of my thoughts. "Nice to meet you, it gets lonely sometimes in this big, empty house." I grinned to show Esme I was only joking, in case she took it too seriously.

We went into the living room, and Sasha obviously wanted to talk alone with Carlisle and Esme first, so I took the three daughters around the house, showing them around (they hadn't been in this house before; last time they visited Carlisle and Esme was before they'd moved to Forks). We were on the second floor when Tanya shyly but sweetly asked me to show her where the toilet was. I was beginning to feel a little awkward. "Ok, will do you and Irina want to go upstairs to my room? We'll come up when Tanya's done." I asked Kate, since Irina wasn't very vocal.

While Tanya was in the bathroom I heard Sasha's voice, high and soft, but upset. I crept halfway downstairs to listen. "…you really not mind?"

"Of course not, you're my sister and we have far more than enough. Edward would probably like the company, anyway." Carlisle said.

"Yes, I worry about him a lot, and I was glad when he made friends with Emmet and Jasper. He needs boy company, too. But I'm glad there'll at least be _some_ people his age around him; he needs a chance to be a normal person. Bella really helped him." I was touched by Esme's words, but not by the words that came from Sasha next.

"If that Bella is that dark-haired girl in that picture over there, I really do not have any idea what he sees in her. She's so _plain_. She might be nice, but Edward should have someone beautiful. Perhaps one of my-" She was interrupted by Carlisle's voice, coming down on her hard and cold. My right fist clenched up.

"That is _certainly not _a judgement for you to make. You really can't force Edward what to feel or what not to feel for someone, either. Remember I'm doing you a favour here, and if you don't do what I ask in return, I'm afraid you'll be out of here."

I felt something quite close to my heart as he defended me. I had never been able to truly imagine Carlisle without his compassion and constant never-ending kindness. He was different with his sister, which was one thing.

Was that how siblings were to each other, usually? A harsher than friends? I would never know, would I? I quickly slipped back upstairs just as Tanya came out. She smiled sweetly at me. "Thanks for taking me." I flashed a quick smile back, a little taken aback. She was slightly overdoing the sugary sweetness. I walked quickly to my room, where Kate and Irina were. Kate grinned at me, in awe of my room. "It's great!" I rolled my eyes at her. "Is _that_ your whole wardrobe? Wow, it's been ages since I had a walk-in wardrobe!"

"It's the biggest one in the house, Carlisle and Esme's second. I think they're trying to spoil me." I knew why, of course. But they didn't, from the looks on their faces. They went quiet for a few moments, seeing something in my eyes, and wondered round my room looking at my CDs, books and clothes.

"Well," Tanya broke the silence, her face actually looking honestly interested. "Carlisle adopted you, didn't he? Where were you before, if you know what I mean?" Her expression returned to her sugary sweet one. "Of course you don't have to answer if you don't want to, of course." Her face took on a concerned-looking one, and I was starting to get slightly freaked out.

"It's a long story, and it isn't the happiest one," I finally answered, choosing my words carefully. Kate's violet eyes carefully studied mine and seemed to see something that backed up my words, and shot a warning glance at Tanya just as she was about to open her mouth again to speak. Tanya closed her mouth.

Esme called us down, saving any awkwardness that might have been about to happen. I glanced at my watch. It'd only been fifteen minutes since I'd started my 'tour' of the house, Carlisle and Esme's way of subtly helping me get to know the guests.

Sasha was sitting comfortably on the sofa, very smiley, and Carlisle and Esme were smiling too, except there was a bit of tension behind their eyes for some reason. I knew this was to do with what I'd overheard them saying.

"Right. Edward, you don't know about this first part, so I'll explain it to you. Sasha, she's been having these money problems, which I'll tell you more about in detail later if you want, and she's been forced to sell her house to pay debts off, so her and her daughters don't exactly have anywhere to live right now." Were they staying here for a bit, a week or so?

"Sasha and her daughters need somewhere to build back up again to get their own place, so I offered for them to live in our house while they sort themselves out. I hope that's alright with you, Edward?" It didn't take me too long to take in, but they would be here for months, at least, maybe even a year. Finally I nodded.

"Yeah, of course."

Someone put their hand on my shoulder, and almost whispered in my ear, "Wow, that's brill, I get to live with you!" I noticed how she said 'I' rather than 'we'. I smiled at her and nodded. Suddenly I felt like getting out, talking to someone for some reason...Bella. I knew what I was ging to tell her, even though a few years ago I'd sworn not to tell anyone, ever.

"Carlise, please can I can I go see Bella? I really need to tell her something, now." His face became concerned.

"Isn't she revising for exams?" I knew he wanted me to get to know the Denalis better too, but I just suddenly felt like I had to tell Bella this.

"It'll only take five minutes, and while I was revising yesterday there was this bit I didn't understand very well, so I can ask her too." I replied smoothly. "I really want to stay and get to know the girls better, but I really need to tell Bella this...count it as the second session thing of the week." Esme's heart shaped face took on an expression that held nothing but concern for me.

"Of course you can go, just call her first, and Carlisle will drive you there." I smiled gratefully at her, then turned to the Denalis.

"I would really like to talk to you more, and I'm really sorry, but I have to go see her, and if you want, Carlise and Esme can explain, kind of." I'd forgotten Tanya's hand was still on my shoulder, and she said to me in a soothing voice, out loud this time, "Of course you can go, we don't mind, we'll still be here when you come back."

"Right, thanks," I muttered, getting more uncomfortable. Finally I slid away and called Bella.

WhenI arrived at her house, she opened the door. She greeted Carlisle politely, then as soon as he pulled her away I headed up to her room, with her following behind me, confused. I closed the door behind her and faced her.

"Bella," I began almost shakily. "I need to tell you something."

Bella's eyebrows furrowed cutily like they did when she was confused. "Okay, go ahead."

"It's about my sister."

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_**Kind of more of the same as last time is the same as this time for the excuse, I'm really sorry, things have been all over the place recently, but I promise that next time I'll update sooner. **_

_**This is kind of a build up chapter, introducing the Denalis in and then building up to Edward revealing a little secret. This chapter was a little bit rushed because I wanted to update this before I went on my camp, starting tomorrow, so any complaints, and I'll try to edit it.**_

_**Hope you can still find it in your heart to forgive me xx**_


	19. Sister

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18. New Hope

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Sister

**EPOV**

Bella's face was utterly and completely shocked. "Oh. Right." After a second her face transformed into the one I wanted, open, non-judging and ready to listen. It was one of the things I liked-loved so much about her.

She sat on her bed, and I sat too. I took a deep breath, and another one, glad she hadn't spoken yet, just willing to listen.

"My sister," I started, trying to focus on _her_, not things that had happened or the promises I'd made to myself during darker, more painful times. "Amelia Jessica Masen." The name felt strange on my tongue; I had not said it for years. "I called her Lia. She was six years older than me, and she kept me sane for most of my life.

_They_ started beating her up soon after I was born; maybe it was because of post-natal depression? Whatever it was, it was all my fault. A _six year old_ looked after me when I was born, keeping me alive while Anthony and Elizabeth went out drinking and stuff.

She tried to be the furthest from them as she could, while they were horrible and treated us very badly; she tried to be the purest she could be. I followed her, looking up so much to her and relying on her so much.

We gave Anthony and Elizabeth no reason to do anything to us, of course, that didn't work on them, but at least we made the most of what we had of a life.

Up until I was about three or four, they would just go out and leave us alone, or yell at us and throw things around if I did something annoying, or if Lia did. They would sometimes hit her.

When I turned four, they started getting completely sick and fed up of me (I was surprised they'd managed that long; you hear lots of stories about parents clearing off when their kids are just six months old) and started hitting me too, even though Lia tried to stop them, resulting in her getting hurt more.

We still went to school, but we were kind of anti-social, we never went on school trips or anything, no friends, always sitting together on our own or something. Like I was when you first came.

She would give me stuff sometimes, from some money she had and saved up. She tried not to steal, but when we got desperate, she would get some stuff. Nothing very valuable, just some things we needed.

She was helping me all my life, looking after me, probably saving my life a few times, and I could never repay her. Three years ago, just before we moved here, something really snapped in Anthony. I'd been a little bit late, or pulled a face at him or something. It was something really unimportant, but he started kicking me. Lia was with me. And then Lia tried to get in between us. She stood, kind of hovered, over me, and made me crawl away. _I_ didn't want to, but my body obeyed her. Then Anthony completely snapped. All of a sudden he was dragging both of us by the neck down to the cellar, and we could tell we were in real trouble."

Up to now I had been able to say it all without hesitation, almost as if I was describing it as if it was about someone else. I had somehow found enough strength to tell her before, I had been sure, before, but I didn't know about now. But now I started _really_ remembering it, and my heart was hammering so loudly Bella must have heard it.

I remembered the pain, the screaming, her face, the blood and the final pain, the worst, worse than anyone could ever imagine. My heart ripped to pieces that night, and I cried so much. I looked down onto a spot on the bed, not seeing it, just seeing the blood and pain.

I don't know how, but I found the strength to keep talking, but in a hoarse whisper.

"But he tied my hand to the window, and started…hitting her…so hard…so much screaming and red…and I never knew when it would end…it lasted all night…Elizabeth helped too…" I really didn't want to scare Bella, so I tried to hold out on the details. I was breathing really fast now, as I continued painfully, getting the last few words out.

"It was getting lighter, and then she looked at me for the last time…" Then that scene repeated over and over again in front of my eyes. After a few minutes of silence, I looked up slightly, to see Bella's face. Even though I didn't know it could be possible, I felt _worse_ seeing her face.

There were tears in her eyes, and I knew she wasn't feeling sorry for me; she was living a fraction of the pain I was in, which was way more than enough.

"Oh, Edward," she whispered almost brokenly.

And then I couldn't hold anything back anymore. I cried. She shuffled up next to me, and slid her arms around my waist, and hugged me while I cried. I cried for the loss of my sister, the pain of being forced to watch her…being killed…by _her own_ parents. _My_ parents.

I stood up suddenly, dark, powerful fire pulsing and raging through me, and I thought I was going to explode. I needed to hit something. I walked to a desk, and punched the side as hard as possible, over and over again, leaving a dent. I realised that the back of my hand was bruised and bleeding. Someone burst into the room.

"_What_ the _hell_ is going on?" Alice yelled. Rosalie's blonde head popped through the door, concerned at first but annoyed when she saw me. Apart from Bella, she acted the least sorry for me, knowing I would hate it. It was like she understood, for some reason.

They looked from my bleeding fist to the dent in the desk, shaking her head. Bella looked kind of shocked, but not angry. "I'll leave you to it then, sorry for interrupting. And we have a first aid kit if you need one," Rosalie said, and dragged Alice out of the room. I almost nearly smiled at her words. But I was too hurt and angry to. Pent up anger for sixteen years isn't nice.

Finally I stopped, even if I wasn't done, and focused on present things. Like Bella. "I'm really sorry for doing this to you desk, Bella. I'm kind of dangerous to be in the same room with sometimes. You can tell your sisters if you want. I'm really sorry for putting this all on you," she opened her mouth to protest, but I got there before her.

"You can tell them everything. I'm so sorry, and even though I'm coping better now, I'm so sorry I'm doing this to you. Of course I'm not sorry that I ever met you, of course." At that moment I realized that I loved her. So much.

**Bpov**

"It's fine, Edward, I think it looks better that way too," I smiled. I was just about to continue, but I noticed something change in Edward's face. His eyes held unimaginable pain, and guilt. But that had been there since he started telling me about his sister. What had dawned on his face seemed like realisation, and then, more than I thought possible, pain. More pain and more guilt. I managed not to cringe away in fright from the intensity of it, but I braced myself for whatever was coming out next.

"Bella. I…I…love you." There were unshed tears forming in his eyes. My heart melted. Really? _I love you too_. I couldn't bring myself to say it. Why not? It was true. It had been true since I first saw him. I couldn't say it, though. My mouth refused to move.

"But," and then my insides froze. "I think everything's happening too quickly. I need it to all slow down." I knew what he was saying. "Could we just take a bit of a break? So I can get over it some more?"

"Yeah, if you want." My mouth had turned on to automatic mode; the words that came out were emotionless, lifeless. He seemed to notice it.

"I don't want to, really, Bella. I'm so sorry. But I think I have to." His voice tore in…agony?

"I understand."

From then on everything became pretty awkward. He went home soon enough, and I knew he wouldn't be coming back for a while.

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_**I'm soooooo sorry! I know I promised two weeks to some of you, but I got took on a long extended holiday by my parents that I'd totally forgotten about! I'm terribly sorry, and for the rubbish excuses as well, and I promise I will try to update faster from now on.**_

**_Love_**

**_Edwardfan1997_**


	20. Never a Happy Ending

**18. New Hope**

**Never a Happy Ending

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Dedicated to _bellaandedward(dot)comstwin_ for her amazing review! And for being the first after one day :D xxx

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**Bpov**

I didn't really talk to Edward much after that. It was selfish, but it had hurt so much. I kept remembering the joy and the fluttering of my heart when he'd said those three words, and then how he ditched me one second later. I should have hated him for that. I almost did. But I could never hate him. My body and heart yearned for me to forgive him, yearned to have him back close again, but my mind constantly reminded me of how much he'd hurt me.

He hadn't tried to talk to me or say sorry or anything yet. He knew how I was stubborn, and how it would take ages for me to forgive him. But he didn't know how much I still loved him. No. I shoved that out of my head.

Since he hung out a lot with Emmet and Jasper, that meant he hung out with Alice and Rosalie too. This was kind of inconvenient. So I hung out at the library instead. I insisted on Angela staying with them as she wouldn't want to leave Ben.

I knew Jessica wouldn't really care; she would just want to hang out with my popular, beautiful sisters and their boyfriends. And Edward.

Mike…he hung with me sometimes, but as the popular boy, he couldn't stick to one girl all the time.

So I was sort of a loner. Except in the car after the first day, my sisters had tried to make me tell them what was wrong. I forced them to leave it, and made sure they didn't waste their time looking for me at break and lunch.

Time had gone so fast lately. It was almost June now, a month before his birthday. But two weeks since we broke up. And his stories still plagued me, particularly the one about his sister. I kept dreaming it, the last night of her life, and the terror, rage, pain and guilt in his eyes that made me flinch. I woke up panting in the middle of the night usually.

The bell rang for the end of school. I slowly packed my bag and walked out of the science classroom. When I got to the car, Rosalie was in the driver's seat for once. Alice was in the passenger seat beside her, so I got in the back.

As soon as I shut the door, Alice and Rose both turned and glared at me. "Bella, it's already been two weeks,-"

"So get over him."

"You can't spend the rest of your life avoiding everyone,-"

"Move on and get a life! Yeah we know he ditched you, but it won't be permanent." They paused and opened their mouths again, so I butted in.

"You don't know the whole story," I mumbled. They stopped, and I was forced to continue.

"He told me the story of his sister, and after punching my desk, he said he loved me, and then two seconds after he dumped me." My voice was flat and emotionless, and my eyes watched my sisters' furious ones. "Don't say or do anything about it." Alice opened her mouth to complain. "Let me deal with something on my own for once." The words came out very hostile, but controlled. My sisters widened their eyes in slight surprise but didn't push their case further.

Rosalie drove home while I crossed my arms and glared out the window. "But Bella, _please_ stop hiding out in the library. Come sit with us. _Please,_" Rosalie begged.

"Yeah, fine, whatever." I tried to make my voice as emotionless and flat as before, but probably failed. Rosalie's face softened with relief. Had she been worrying about me that much? I immediately felt guilty, but touched.

**Rpov**

I thought about this lunchtime as we drove home. When I and Emmet went away on lunch breaks for quality time, it wasn't for a kiss in the cupboard like everyone thought, it was to talk. When I had said yes to him on my second day at the school, I had been terrified I was making a huge mistake but my instinct told me otherwise. We hadn't even kissed yet! Until a few weeks ago.

You couldn't expect me to trust him that easily; look what happened with my first boyfriend!

The thought brought images back and sent a violent shudder through me, and I screeched to a sudden halt on the kerb, squeezing my eyes tight shut with my knuckles white against the steering wheel. I tried to slam the wall violently back up against it, separating those memories with everything else like I had since then,

Out of my peripheral vision I Alice and Bella looked at me in concern. "Rosalie?"

"Are you alright?" I didn't meet their eyes. After a few minutes, I nodded my head.

"I'm fine." I started driving again. I sounded like I was trying to convince myself more than them. They seemed to think that too. I focused back on my previous thoughts.

I had never though Emmet would be anywhere near patient at all…he had looked like a bit of a player.

I envied Alice, a bit. And Bella. Alice because she had the perfect parents who loved her like their own, and she didn't remember or miss her real parents since they'd dumped her in a home when she was a baby. She could look after herself; she was gorgeous and could do the 'innocent little girl' act very well.

Bella…up until me and Alice go adopted, she had her parents, and she was an only child who got all her parents' attention. She was beautiful, shy, selfless and caring, also unspoilt. She had never really had to face the facts and horrors of life, so she was kind of clean, in a metaphorical way. So was Alice.

I, on the other hand, was most unclean. I suddenly found that tears were spilling out of my eyes and flowing down my cheeks. "Rosalie? Do you want me to drive?" Alice ask, voice full of concern. This time I slammed the wall into place as hard as I could, and made sure it stayed there. Why the hell was I deciding to think about this _now_, while driving a car, and in front of my sisters? There was something seriously wrong with me.

"I'm fine now, it's ok," I half-whispered, shaking my head. And then I turned into shallow Rosalie. Vain and uncaring and selfish. It kind of distracted me. I checked my face in the side mirror, annoyed to find my nose pink and my cheeks soaking wet. Some make up had been smudged too. I grabbed a few tissues from the glove compartment with one had, and dabbed my face gently.

I heard someone sigh, but I didn't look to see who it was.

When I got to my room, later, I found a piece of paper lying on my bed.

_Will be seeing you soon, my darling, the fun has only just started._

_xxx_

My heart froze and the feeling of dread washed over me and stayed. I went numb. Time stopped around me, and the words on the paper were the only existing things in the world now. My heart hammered against my chest, so hard, trying to thrash its way out. My hand gripped the chair for support, knuckles white.

_Why? Why?_ My knees sunk to the floor.

That's how Alice found me later; face white, eyes glazed over staring through her, hand still gripped on the chair so hard it hurt. Not that I really noticed.

Alice immediately rushed over, prised my fingers slowly off the chair and grabbed both of my hands, kneeling in front of me and looking into my eyes.

"Rosalie?" She shook my arms. "What's wrong? Speak to me!" She noticed the paper lying on the floor. And snatched it up. She took ages reading it, rereading it again and again. Finally I broke out my trance.

My broke as I forced out words hoarsely. "I'm going to die Alice, I'm going to die. He's been here!"

Alice wrapped her arms around me. "Oh, Rose! It's on the news as well," she cried.

"What?" She knew there was no point hiding it from me, since I'd found out, in a different way. "Come downstairs." Her face was anguished.

I focused my eyes on the television screen as soon as I got downstairs, ignoring everyone else's faces.

_"…for fifteen years for their violent and sick history, have escaped from prison. The brothers were last sighted in a blue BMW," _The reporter droned on, bored. Then their pictures appeared on the screen. I wanted to turn away from the screen or scrunch my eyes shut, but my eyes just stared in terror at the faces on the screen; I was petrified.

They looked so real, as if they were going to jump out of the screen any second at me. Someone wrapped their arms around me, followed by someone else. "_No _one's going to get you, Rose. We'll keep you safe, don't worry," Renee whispered anxiously in my ear. Alice had just shown her the note.

Bella had her arms around my face, silent, knowing that words wouldn't really soothe me. "Please. Can I go to my room?" I didn't want to see everyone's faces right now. I needed to hear a certain voice. My favourite voice.

I went to my room and grabbed the phone, dialling a familiar number I already knew off by heart. He answered on the first ring.

"Rosalie? What's up?" The voice sent my heart thudding, and relief gently touched me.

"Oh, Emmet. He's coming for me, and I'm so scared." He knew what it meant, of course. And I only felt safe with him, ever.

He seemed to stiffen. "Rosalie, please believe me, nothing and _no one_ is gonna get you; they'll have to go through me first." His words were angry and determined, but I felt more secure and safe after those words. "You want me to come over?"

"I'd love that, but what about-"

"Then it's settled. Don't worry about me, it's sorted." I felt much better when I put the phone down.

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_**Thanks all you amazing people for sticking by me throughout this story, I wouldn't be anywhere near here if it hadn't been for you, I am more confident now than last year, when I started out rubbish and horrible. EVen though it is a month or two late, I'd just like to say**_

**_HAPPY BRITHDAY! To New Hope, which has now existed for over a year, thanks to you brill people with the green bubbles!_**

**__****School, three orchestras, choir and two ballet classes per week. Tonnes of homework with the pressure of options and early GCSEs ahead :/**

**_I _will_ update, just not too often._**

**_But because you love this amazing story(I hope), _Review! xxx**


	21. Jealous

**20. New Hope**

**Jealous**

**Bpov**

I was could have almost been glad to have to concentrate and worry about Rosalie and the stuff with the police; it kind of distracted me from _him_. It was kind of hard trying to forget about him and leave it. I couldn't stop thinking about him. I wished I wasn't so easily fooled. I wished that I could hate him. I wished I wasn't so stupid. I wish I didn't keep hoping.

At school, it was amazing how unaware everyone was. Sure, they talked about the news, about Royce and Bruce King, but could they ever have imagined that one of their very fellow students had actually been in the centre of the brothers' disgusting, sickening entertainment once? It all seemed so far away for them. It always happened to someone else, not them.

Rosalie nowadays was always accompanied everywhere; at least one person had to be at her side at all times. Charlie had persuaded the secretary to change her timetables so they matched, without giving away the reason why. At least one of friend was in each of her classes, and we didn't need to bother too much about in between classes; she had crowds of admirers around her.

She found it extremely irritating, of course, and I understood, but she knew that she would have to be safer from now on. But she said in return I had to stop hiding out in the library at lunch break. Reluctantly, I had agreed.

Classes flew by nowadays, and I found myself drifting in and out with eyes glazed over, like a robot. So now I was drifting dully into the canteen, where the boys were already. For some reason, there was a bit of a crowd around the boys. Rose and Alice hadn't come yet. I walked over to Jasper and Emmet with questioning eyes. "Why are we so popular all of a sudden?" Jasper smiled.

"New girls. Tanya, Irina and Kate." That still didn't explain everything.

"And they are here because…?" Emmet grinned, showing his teeth while Jasper looked slightly sympathetic. They didn't need to reply because I finally noticed what the centre of attention was. I wondered why I hadn't noticed straight away. Standing in the middle of the small crowd stood Edward accompanied by three insanely beautiful girls.

I headed closer into the crowd to see them better. The shortest out of the three had chin-length silver blonde hair, almost a bob, straight as silk. I doubted that she even had to brush it. Her face was calm and expressionless, but not unfriendly, her big violet eyes penetrating innocence.

The dark haired girl beside her, the tallest, also had violet eyes, but darker somehow and she had a sly smirk on her face with a thin, dark eyebrow slightly raised, swapping glances with her silvery blonde sister. Her hair was exceptionally long, swaying to her thighs. But she didn't have innocence pouring out of her. It was darkness, not in a bad way, just dark and daring.

The third girl had strawberry blonde curls dancing on her shoulders, striking baby blue eyes matching her way-too-sweet smile, laughing-such an obviously fake laugh, which all the boys fell for-at jokes or something others were trying to impress her with. Her hand rested on…Edward's shoulder. I was surprised by my reaction. My insides flipped over multiple times, and my teeth were clenched. It shouldn't bother me at all, but it did.

She spotted me amongst he little crowd. "Hi, you must be Bella! Edward talks about you _so_ much!" I gave her a large, very fake smile.

"I bet." I turned on my heel and walked off, ignoring my sisters who were talking to their boyfriends. I didn't pause when I heard a male voice call my name.

Halfway down the corridor there were soft, quick steps behind me. I stopped and span around. I was about to snarl 'What?' but failed to do so when I saw it was the silvery blonde one.

She looked taken aback by my expression, so I relaxed my face with some effort. "What do you want?"

"I'm Irina by the way, Bella, and I'm really sorry about Tanya. She can be nice," I raised my eyebrows at that. "But she's vain and likes a challenge. She can be absolutely evil, but she can be nice too." I guessed that the strawberry blonde was Tanya. I wanted to disagree but then I thought about Rosalie.

"She would probably get along with my sister, then," I murmured. She laughed at that. Then stopped. "And I'm sorry she tried to make you jealous."

"She succeeded," I confided, feeling I could trust this girl. "He broke up with me a while ago but I can't get over him. I know I shouldn't be so angry at him and everything because he needed some space, but…" I trailed off. She glanced at me sympathetically. I felt I could trust this girl quite a bit, even if I was jealous of her as well. "So, why did you come here?" I asked, changing the subject in a friendly tone, I hoped.

"My mother is Carlisle's sister, we came to stay for a while; the house is big enough." So that explained all the blonde hair. I could guess that their father-Kate's father, at least, had dark hair. I smiled to myself.

"You do know that newcomers in Forks are rare, which is why there's practically a riot every time someone new comes." She rolled her eyes and laughed again.

I heard more footsteps down the corridor, and turned to see Kate, glaring at Irina. "I'm getting sick of that crowd in there, staring at us like ornaments. And then I turned and saw that you'd abandoned me." Irina smiled apologetically.

"I came to talk to Bella. And she told me about how newcomers are as rare as dodos 'round here." I laughed again at her animal description. Even Kate smiled.

"Don't mind her. She may seem lovely and nice, but there are a few screws loose in her head," Kate teased.

"Hey!" Irina elbowed her sister. It seemed I had made two new friends. But I couldn't stop the burning, raging, fire inside me at Tanya.

It seemed everyone was following me today; Alice and Rosalie appeared out of no where behind me, followed by their boyfriends.

"Sounds like we won't be having lunch today!" Emmet grinned, winking at Rosalie, who smiled in return. I pretended to gag. Emmet turned to me and put an innocent look on his face. "What?" It was the voice of a child, but I laughed a very slightly forced laugh.

I half-turned, yet again seeing more people. Angela, Ben, Mike and Jess. Everyone soon became preoccupied enough talking in the corridor (a teacher was bound to come out any second at the noise) so I sneaked off to the toilets, and sat in a cubicle, thinking.

I'd done this a lot at Phoenix, hidden in the toilets when I couldn't bear it anymore; I'd hidden from Amy, from Michelle, all my tormentors.

I was slightly overreacting. Even if Edward had hurt me, said he'd loved me then it turned out just as a friend, _he_ was still hurt. He wouldn't be able to keep it in and act like a gentleman much longer. He still needed help. He would really snap very soon. I had already helped him a bit; I couldn't just turn my back on him now.

I thought back to that night, when he'd told me about his sister. His pain, his anger, his horror, his helplessness…all finally fully revealed. His helplessness…that was it.

I glanced at my watch; there was only ten minutes until the end of lunch, and I hadn't eaten anything.

I unlocked the cubicle door, and silently slipped out onto the now-empty corridor. My stomach clenched slightly; I had never ditched school before. I'd always been too much of a coward. But now I was different, and this was more important than missing one lesson of Biology and German.

It was almost too easy to get to the Mercedes. I headed home first, to grab some food-my stomach was resenting me for skipping lunch. My parents weren't at home, of course.

I grabbed a readymade sandwich from the fridge and sat on a stool, thinking of what to say when I arrived at Edward's house, during school hours. What if no one was home? I started to panic. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

I told myself to get a grip. There was no way I was going to go back to school now, fourth period had already started.

I quickly grabbed the keys, locked the door and slipped back into the car. Before I could change my mind, I drove towards Edward's house, the opposite way from school.

After fifteen minutes of trees and bushes and flowers and basically green, I realised that I was nearly there…I slowed, wanting to put it off. But the car was outside the grand white house too soon.

I grabbed all my courage and got out the car, walking up to the door.

Esme was surprised to see me, of course, but not suspicious. "Bella! I haven't seen you in ages! How are you? Do come in! And erm…aren't you supposed to be at school right now?"

I let her lead me in to the living room. And sit me down

"Well. Erm…I came because I have a kind of suggestion for erm…Edward." Esme looked at me encouragingly.

"So you have a cellar or something, don't you?" She looked slightly confused.

"Yes." But not annoyed or anything.

So I had no choice but to explain now. My next words came out rushed and quiet.

"Well, erm…I'm suggesting that you could put a punch bag or something down there, because he's got quite a lot of pent up anger for an almost-seventeen-year-old.

Because maybe he will snap soon, but it would help if he could take it out on the punch bag physically, and not accidently on people." I crossed my fingers in the hope that it hadn't come out of my mouth sounding wrong and offensive.

"That's an amazing idea Bella!" Esme's face was a picture of surprise and relief. "I had been wondering about what to do if he snapped."

"Well, that's pretty much it really. I'd better get going. Erm…and please could you not mention that this was anything to do with me. Please. To Edward." Realisation dawned on her face.

"You want to avoid him?" No anger or annoyance, just understanding.

I gave in and sighed. "Yeah, to be honest."

"Because he broke up with you?" I nodded, staring at the floor.

"He still really likes you, you know." I finally looked up.

"Esme, please. I don't want to hear it…it just…won't work."

She nodded.

"And erm...Edward...he might not want to go along with this...at first...so it might take a while to persuade him..." I felt embarrassed, as if I shouldn't know so much about him. She didn't seem to notice that.

"Of course, Bella!"

"So...erm...thanks, then." I stood up and quickly walked through the hallway, just as Esme was about to get up and see me out, and out the door. It was rude but...lately I was acting weird. I tried to forget about it as I got in my car, Esme at the door half-smiling but confused.

When she was out of sight I checked my watch. Maybe I could get back in time for Biology...

* * *

**_Okay, okay, you can kill me. Seriously. I deserve it. I have had serious writer's block, and a computer virus which deleted everything unfortunately, but I already have a back up copy on Fanfiction. If I was supposed to dedicate this to anybody, please say so, and please please review with suggestions :P_**

**_Edwardfan1997_**


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